'Projects choose me & characters find me' says Costao actor Mahika Sharma

With a flair for comedy and a fearless screen presence, Mahika Sharma is making her mark. Known for diverse roles across television and film, she gained prominence with her portrayal in the TV show F.I.R. and the Bollywood comedy film Mr. Joe B. Carvalho.

In 2025, Sharma expanded her filmography with a significant role in biographical crime drama Costao. She plays its villain Peter D’Mello's young wife, Cassandra. Directed by Sejal Shah, film star Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the role of Costao Fernandes, a Goa customs officer who exposes a major gold smuggling operation in the 1990s. 

Though new to the industry, Sharma has a head on her shoulders. She  says it’s always joyful to work with seasoned actors. “When you start off, you don’t choose, you just audition. I always wanted to work with Nawaz sir. My character, Cassandra, is a young girl who gets caught up in bigger politics. My reel roles have somehow run parallel to my real life. Before I got Costao, I was figuring out how to sustain myself in Mumbai. Cassandra came to me at a time when I think I needed her the most.”

Actor Mahika Sharma shares her journey so far

Acting in the crime drama thriller television series Breathe: Into the Shadows to Liberation, was another intense experience. Sharma thrives in transforming herself with each role. When asked how she selects such varied roles, she says: “I would say it’s the other way round. Projects choose me and characters find me. I like to work on projects where I can explore impactful roles. It’s always a delight to do challenging roles, where I can live vastly different lives in one lifetime!”

For Sharma, creativity isn’t confined to scripts and sets. A trained MMA enthusiast, a passionate musician, painter, and writer, her personal interests often bleed into her professional aspirations.

Exploring duality

In a powerful short film We Need to Talk, Mahika steps into the role of a woman navigating the blurred lines between kindness and self-sacrifice. The film gives a message of personal boundaries and emotional survival.  She says, “I was born and brought up in Delhi. And from the day I could think for myself, I’ve gone through some very real emotions that I know a lot of women from Delhi would relate to—fear for your safety, always being on guard, and being trapped in the so-called good-girl image.”

The film is about understanding your limits, setting boundaries, and learning to stand up for yourself, all while staying compassionate.” When it came to playing Hanita, Sharma didn’t need to dig deep into research. She simply had to look within.

She also talks about her role as Chellamma in Swaraj for Contiloe Productions. She describes her character as a smart, resourceful, and courageous woman of her time who fights for the emancipation of women and is against child marriage. She says, “As I stepped into her shoes, it required me to be a patriot and a hero. It was a delight to become someone who thinks the way she does.”

Diverse portfolio

Sharma has worked across short films, OTT series, and big-screen features. Talking about how the Indian entertainment landscape is evolving, she says, “Audiences are getting smarter. They understand good content and support it. Indian entertainment is evolving. Real villages and urban life stories are being represented. Our technology has vastly improved; riskier projects can be executed now. The Internet has made the world a small place. All kinds of artists are connecting and creating together. We as Indians have a voice in Cannes, Oscars and the West. I’m lucky to be born in these times.”

The actor has done theatre in Delhi for six years and credits theatre for nurturing qualities like humility, hard work and focus. “I grew up watching brilliant actors on stage, seeing to what extent they go to get under the skin of their character and that inspired me. You perform live. There are no second chances, nor retakes,” she says. 

This article is written by Diksha Sinha