Jhanak Shukla is an Indian lifestyle blogger and former Indian child artist. She is best known for her 2003 serial Karishma Kaa Karishma in which she appeared in the lead role as Karishma.
Wiki/Biography
Jhanak Shukla was born on Wednesday, 24 January 1996 (age 26 years; as of 2022) in New Delhi, India. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius. Soon after completing her school education, she joined Bhavans College, Mumbai, Maharashtra to pursue a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree in History. She later completed her Master of Business Administration (MBA) at NMIMS Global, Mumbai, Maharashtra and earned a master’s degree in Ancient Indian history research and Archaeology from Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra. At the age of six, she, along with her family, shifted to Mumbai. Her father and mother met in 1992 on the sets of the serial Tanhai, which was telecasted on Doordarshan, and later, got married.
A childhood picture of Jhanak Shukla
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 4″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Her father’s name is Haril Shukla, and he is a documentary filmmaker.
Jhanak Shukla with her father
Her mother’s name is Supriya Shukla, and she is a renowned Indian television actress. She has a sister named Damia Shukla.
Jhanak Shukla (extreme right) with her mother (second from left), boyfriend (extreme left), and sister
Her uncle’s name is Prashant Raina, and her two aunts Surbhi Raina and Mukti Shukla Raghuvansh are television actresses. Her maternal grandmother’s name is Sunita Raina.
Husband
Jhanak Shukla is not married.
Relationships/Affairs
Jhanak Shukla is in a relationship with Swapnil Suryawanshi for a long time.
Career
Films
Bollywood
Jhanak Shukla marked her acting debut with the Bollywood film Kal Ho Na Ho in 2003 along with Indian actors Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Priety Zinta. She played the character of Jenny Kapur’s (Jaya Bachchan) adopted daughter, Gia Kapur.
Jhanak Shukla in a still from the film Kal Ho Na Ho
She then appeared in the film Deadline: Sirf 24 Ghante in 2006. In this film, she played the role of Anishka Goenka, a kidnapped daughter of Rajit Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma. The film also starred the late Indian actor Irrfan Khan.
Hollywood
In 2006, she made her acting debut in the Hollywood film One Night with the King.
Television
In 2000, she worked as Princy in the television serial Son Pari. In 2002, she worked in a Malayalam serial Aalipazham in which she played the role of a dumb girl. The serial was filmed in Trivandrum, and she used to travel to Trivandrum for the shooting. In 2003, she was cast in the Karishma Kaa Karishma, which was a remake of the 1980s American TV series Small Wonder in the lead role as Karishma.
Jhanak Shukla in a still from the television serial Karishma Ka Karishma in 2003
She then appeared in the show Hatim as little Jasmine. In 2012, she appeared in a small role in an episode of a reality-based crime thriller show ‘Gumrah: End of Innocence.’
Commercials
At the age of five, she worked in the advertisement for ICICI. According to Jhanak, she was offered an advertisement by the director Pradeep Sarkar who saw Jhanak with her mother, Supriya Shukla, during Supriya’s shooting for commercials.
Music Album
Once, Jhanak Shukla worked on a music video with Parikrama (band).
Documentaries
Apart from television serials, she also appeared in many short films such as Bol Ke Lab Azaad Hain Tere, Father’s Day Tribute, Maa Hoon Main, and U-Turn produced and directed by her parents in 2019.
The poster of the short film U-Turn
Other
In February 2022, she began working as an Art Gallery Manager at ‘Fidelitus Gallery’ in Bengaluru, Karnataka and worked there till May 2022. In July 2021, she established an organisation named Roomaal and started producing and selling handkerchiefs, organic soaps, quirky bookmarks, and face masks.
Favourites
Facts/Trivia
- She also goes by the name Princey.
- Jhanak Shukla worked for the last time in the television serial Son Pari in which she acted for only six months. She then decided to pursue her school studies regularly. Thereafter, she started saying no to every acting assignment as she was fed up with acting. In an interview with a media house, she said that she quit acting when she was in class sixth. She said,
My last serial was Sonpari. I shot for this for six months only. I was growing up and they needed a small girl. I did a few ads after Sonpari and then I gave up acting. I was in the sixth standard and I wanted to study so I just stopped taking any more assignments. I did not want to pursue acting as a career. I got fed up actually.”
Jhanak Shukla in a still from the television serial Son Pari
- According to Jhanak Shukla, she likes to pursue a career in history instead of acting. Once, in an interview with a media reporter, she disclosed her desire to work as an archaeologist. She said,
My parents told me to finish graduation and then take up acting. But by that time I had developed a strong love for history. Acting ka shauk hai but I chose history over acting.”
- At the age of four, Jhanak Shukla walked the ramp for Aquafina, a drinking water brand.
- Jhanak Shukla follows a non-vegetarian diet.
An Instagram post by Jhanak while eating crabs for dinner
- Reportedly, in 2005, in Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s film Black, Jhanak was the first choice of the filmmakers to play the role of young Rani Mukerji. However, at the same time, she was working on the television serial ‘Karishma Kaa Karishma,’ and she refused to work with the filmmakers due to date issues.
- In March 2021, Jhanak Shukla stated in a media interview that she wanted to work in a museum as an architect in New Zealand, where she could live a peaceful life. She added in the same discussion that she was in her mid-twenties, and her retirement had already begun. She said,
When I was young, I used to think when I’ll be 24 I’ll be earning a lot, and I’d be settled and married. I’m 25 and I’m not earning anything. My retirement has already begun, my parents say that because I don’t work as such.”