Veteran stunt professional Sanober Pardiwalla has worked with some of Bollywood’s biggest stars, including Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Kareena Kapoor Khan. She recently opened up about actor safety, stunt preparation and the different approaches she has witnessed on film sets.
Action sequences may last only a few minutes on screen, but creating them can involve extensive preparation, technical planning and safety measures behind the scenes.
Veteran stuntwoman Sanober Pardiwalla, who has worked across Bollywood for more than two decades, recently discussed what goes into executing dangerous sequences and how leading actors approach stunt work.
Speaking to Variety India, Sanober reflected on her experiences working with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Shah Rukh Khan, while also discussing her latest work with Kareena Kapoor Khan in Meghna Gulzar’s Daayra.
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Sanober Pardiwalla Calls Priyanka Chopra ‘Bold’ but Practical
Sanober has worked with Priyanka Chopra on projects including Don 2 and described the actor as someone who is willing to take on demanding action work while remaining conscious of safety.
“Priyanka Chopra is bold and bindass, but she is also very practical,” Sanober said.
According to the stunt professional, Priyanka understands where her physical boundaries lie and knows when a sequence should be handled by a trained stunt professional.
“She knows her limits and boundaries. She understands how much she should push herself and when it isn’t worth doing so. She knows when to let a professional do her job,” Sanober added.
Her comments highlight an important aspect of stunt filmmaking: an actor’s willingness to perform an action sequence does not necessarily mean they should execute every component themselves.
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Sanober Pardiwalla on Working With Shah Rukh Khan
Sanober has worked with Shah Rukh Khan since Veer-Zaara and later collaborated with him on projects including Don 2 and Dunki.
She recalled the actor as a professional who combines confidence with an understanding of physical risk.
“Shah Rukh is a wonderful person to work with. I have worked with SRK since Veer Zaara. He has a phenomenal memory,” she said.
Sanober also recalled that Khan remembers people he has worked with, even after long gaps between projects.
She particularly highlighted the trust involved during the underwater sequence in Dunki.
“The level of trust he showed is something I cannot put into words. I am very grateful for that,” she said.
According to Sanober, Khan also has strong spatial awareness and understands the risks involved in action sequences.
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Did Shah Rukh Khan Ever Push Himself Too Far?
Asked directly whether she had ever felt that Shah Rukh Khan was pushing himself beyond his limits during stunt work, Sanober said she had not viewed him that way.
“He is very wise about these things. He understands what he can do and what he can’t,” she said.
Her comments suggest that, in her experience, Khan approaches physically demanding sequences with an awareness of his own capabilities rather than simply taking unnecessary risks.
That distinction is particularly important for stunt teams, where preparation, timing and technical execution can be as important as an actor’s physical ability.
Sanober on Working With Kareena Kapoor Khan in Daayra
Sanober has also worked with Kareena Kapoor Khan across multiple projects, beginning with films such as Tashan and 3 Idiots.
Their professional association continued with other productions, including Laal Singh Chaddha, and now Meghna Gulzar’s upcoming film Daayra.
For Daayra, Sanober said her work included car-driving sequences for Kareena as well as action sequences.
“I have done a lot of stunt work for Kareena. I started with films like Tashan and 3 Idiots, and it just continued from there,” she said.
The stunt professional’s involvement illustrates the range of specialised work that can sit behind an actor’s action performance, from vehicle sequences to more conventional physical stunts.
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‘You Cannot Replace Years of Experience With 20 Minutes of Training’
Sanober also addressed a recurring issue in action filmmaking: actors wanting to perform their own stunts.
While acknowledging that an individual might be physically capable of attempting a stunt without extensive preparation, she stressed that professional stunt work involves years of accumulated knowledge and experience.
“There isn’t any doubt that an individual might be able to do something without training. However, you cannot replace years of experience, knowledge and skills with 20 minutes of hurried training,” she said.
Sanober added that insufficient preparation can increase the risk of injury.
Her comments underline why stunt coordinators, doubles and specialised performers remain an important part of large-scale film productions, even when actors are willing and capable of participating in action sequences themselves.
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Who Is Sanober Pardiwalla?
Sanober Pardiwalla is a veteran stunt professional who has worked in the Hindi film industry for more than two decades.
Her credits include work as a stunt performer and body double for several leading Bollywood actors, including Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Alia Bhatt and Kareena Kapoor Khan.
Her filmography includes productions such as Dhoom 2, Raavan, Bang Bang and Shamshera, among numerous other projects.
Her latest work with Kareena Kapoor Khan in Daayra has once again brought attention to the specialised professionals who help execute action sequences safely behind the camera.
From underwater sequences with Shah Rukh Khan to action work involving Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sanober’s experiences offer a glimpse into the preparation and trust required to bring high-risk scenes to the screen.
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