'Find The Space You Believe In': Revisiting Shahana Goswami's Golden Advice

The 2025 Oscar nominations have brought pride to India as Santosh, a Hindi-language film set in rural northern India, secured a spot in the Best International Feature Film category. The film was sent by the United Kingdom as their official submission for the Academy Awards 2025. Actor Shahana Goswami, who stars in the film, shared her excitement on Instagram, calling the recognition “incredible.”

In her post, Shahana wrote, “So happy for the team, especially our writer-director, Sandhya Suri, for this little glory of recognition for our film, Santosh! How incredible to be shortlisted from amongst 85 films. Thank you to everyone who loved it, supported it, and voted for it.”

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About Santosh

Santosh revolves around a newly widowed woman who inherits her husband’s police constable job after his death. When an underaged girl from the ‘lower castes’ is killed, Santosh (titular role played by Goswani) ends up being a part of the investigation alongside Inspector Sharma (Sunita Rajwar). The film had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and received positive reviews.

'One Day It Will Be Your Day’: When Shahana Goswami Shared Shabana Azmi’s Advice

Earlier speaking to SheThePeople, Shahana reflected on her career journey and the lessons she’s learned. “I feel like for me, it’s been about knowing what works for me. I was given very good advice early on, and I feel it resonated because my natural personality is like that. I can't do anything that I am not excited about, that I am not instinctively drawn to. I can't plan or strategise regarding acting,” she said.

Shahana also revealed the struggles she faced in her career, including periods without work. “I had phases of not doing any work, not because nothing was offered, but because what was offered was not to my liking. I had been broken and even took money from my dad,” she added.

Recalling advice from Shabana Azmi, Shahana said, “She told me, ‘You have to know what you are capable of and where you want to be; find a middle path and just stick to it because one day it will be your day.’”

Shahana emphasised staying true to oneself, saying, “The work that I did somehow reached the gap and the boundary. It’s still about being true to who I am, and that’s the advice I would give to anybody—try and find the space that you believe in.”

All You Need To Know About Shahana Goswami

Shahana Goswami is the daughter of economist and writer Omkar Goswami. Born and raised in Delhi, Shahana excelled in sports during her school days, representing her school in athletics, badminton, basketball, and volleyball. She was also a National Artificial Wall Climbing champion. A trained Odissi dancer, she studied under Padmashri Kiran Segal for 10 years, performing extensively across India.

After graduating from Sophia College, Mumbai, Shahana pursued acting full-time. She began her career with Jaimini Pathak's theatre group and worked as a production assistant before taking on acting roles in plays such as Seagull and Arabian Nights. She made her film debut with a small role in Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. (2007) and later starred in Ru Ba Ru (2008) alongside Randeep Hooda.

Shahana gained recognition for her performance in Rock On!! (2008), which earned her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Filmfare Awards for her role in Firaaq (2009).

Shahana has since appeared in films like Heroine (2012), Midnight's Children (2012), Zwigato (2023), and Santosh (2024). Her web series credits include Thinkistaan, A Suitable Boy, and Bombay Begums. Known for her versatility, Shahana continues to balance mainstream projects with independent cinema.