Mallika Sherawat is back in the spotlight, this time on The Traitors Season 2.
But before the reality show, the headlines and the one-liners, there was Reema Lamba, a young woman from Haryana who wanted to become an actor.
She left for Mumbai, changed her name and built a career that took her from Murder to Hollywood and international cinema.
Along the way, she became known for an image that both defined her and followed her.
So, how did Reema Lamba become Mallika Sherawat?
Before Mallika, There Was Reema Lamba
Mallika Sherawat was born Reema Lamba on 24 October 1976 in Rohtak, Haryana. She later studied philosophy at Miranda House, University of Delhi.
Her early life, however, has been described differently by Mallika and her father.
Sherawat has said she grew up in a conservative, patriarchal household where girls were not expected to work. She has also spoken about leaving home for Mumbai and selling her grandmother's gold jewellery to support herself.
Her father later disputed parts of this account. He said the family was neither conservative nor struggling and maintained that he had supported her ambitions.
So, rather than presenting one version as settled fact, the early story is best understood through both accounts.
What is clear is that acting remained the career she wanted.
How Did She Start Her Journey
Sherawat has recalled arriving in Mumbai and living in a small room in Juhu while auditioning for roles. Her first significant brush with the entertainment industry came through a car commercial with Shah Rukh Khan.
That led to a small role in Jeena Sirf Merre Liye in 2002.
She was disappointed when her part was substantially reduced in the final film. Instead of stopping there, she continued auditioning and landed Khwahish in 2003.
Around this period, Reema Lamba became Mallika Sherawat.
Sherawat said her father opposed her acting ambitions and disowned her, prompting her to adopt her mother's maiden name. Her father later gave a different explanation, saying the name change was about creating a unique identity.
Then Came Murder
The turning point arrived in 2004 with Murder, in which she starred opposite Emraan Hashmi.
The film became a major commercial success and made Sherawat a familiar name in Hindi cinema. But it also created the label that would follow her for years: the "bold" actress.
The success came with a catch.
Instead of opening up a wide range of roles, her image often became the role. Sherawat was increasingly associated with sensual characters, making it harder for her to find parts that showed a different side of her acting.
Bollywood Wasn't The Only Plan
Sherawat soon looked beyond Hindi cinema.
In 2005, she appeared alongside Jackie Chan in the Chinese film The Myth. She later moved into Tamil cinema with Dasavathaaram in 2008, opposite Kamal Haasan.
Back in Bollywood, films such as Shaadi Se Pehle and Darna Zaroori Hai did not deliver sustained commercial success.
Her dance appearance in Mayya Mayya from Guru in 2007 further strengthened her glamorous screen image. That same year, Welcome became a box-office success, although Sherawat had a supporting role.
From Mumbai To Los Angeles
In 2009, Sherawat moved to Los Angeles to explore opportunities outside Bollywood.
She made her Hollywood debut with Jennifer Lynch's Hisss, an India-US production, in 2010. She played a woman who transforms into a snake. At the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, she promoted the film with a python around her neck.
She followed it with Politics of Love in 2011, but the Hollywood breakthrough she hoped for did not materialise.
Cannes also became the setting for one of the biggest controversies of her career.
During the 2013 festival, she described India as "regressive" and "depressing" for women in an interview with Variety. The remarks triggered criticism, after which she defended her position by referring to issues including female foeticide and honour killings.
The Roles Became Fewer, But The Headlines Stayed
Sherawat returned to a leading role with Dirty Politics in 2015.
The film's poster, which showed her draped in the Indian tricolour, led to complaints and legal proceedings alleging disrespect to the national flag. Reports at the time recorded complaints and an FIR against her in connection with the poster.
After 2015, her film appearances became less frequent. She made her OTT debut with Booo Sabki Phategi in 2019.
She continued to appear in films, including Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video in 2024. Netflix's cast listing confirms her appearance in the film.
Enter The Traitors Season 2
Then came a different kind of comeback.
The Traitors Season 2 premiered on Prime Video on 13 August 2026, with 21 contestants and Karan Johar returning as host. Sherawat joined the cast alongside names including Rhea Chakraborty and Shalini Passi.
And very quickly, Mallika became Mallika again.
A confrontation with Rhea Chakraborty over the word "comeback" drew criticism after Sherawat referred to Rhea's past time in jail. The exchange divided viewers, with some calling the remark a sharp reality-show comeback and others criticising it as a personal attack.
She also made headlines after claiming that Hollywood star Tom Cruise had a crush on her and sent her videos. There was no independent confirmation from Cruise or his representatives about the nature of the alleged conversations.
Then came a fashion dispute with Shalini Passi.
In a deleted scene, Sherawat identified her green dress as Dolce & Gabbana. Passi questioned the claim, saying she believed the dress was not authentic. The exchange became another talking point around the show.
More Than The ‘Bold’ Tag
For Sherawat, the interesting part of the story is not simply that she became famous for being bold.
It is that the image she built became both her biggest source of attention and, at times, a limitation.
She changed her name, moved across industries, tried international cinema, faced criticism and kept returning to the public eye.
Now, more than two decades after Khwahish and Murder, she has found another stage in The Traitors Season 2.
The setting has changed. The cameras have changed. But the instinct to make her own space has remained remarkably consistent.
TL;DR | News At a Glance
Who is Mallika Sherawat?
She was born Reema Lamba in Haryana and later built her identity as Mallika Sherawat.
How did her career begin?
She moved to Mumbai, started with modelling and small film roles, and got her breakthrough with Murder in 2004.
What happened next?
She worked across Bollywood, Tamil and international cinema, including projects with Jackie Chan and Kamal Haasan.
Why is she in the news now?
She joined The Traitors Season 2 in 2026, bringing a new chapter to her long career.
