Just Who Is Dharna Durga?

Social media sensation Dharna Durga, known for her humorous and relatable content, is making her big leap into mainstream cinema with a parallel lead role in the Netflix film Maa Behen, starring alongside Madhuri Dixit and Tripti Dimri.

Tripti Dimri, Madhuri Dixit and Dharna Durga in Maa Behen

IMAGE: Tripti Dimri, Madhuri Dixit and Dharna Durga in Maa Behen.

Key Points

  • Dharna Durga gained widespread popularity during the pandemic for her humorous and relatable Instagram reels and sketches.
  • She fell in love with the performing arts during her school years and actively participated in theatre and drama during her time at Delhi University.
  • In 2022, she acted in the MX Player mini series Bhai Behen Vs The World and later made her big screen debut with the Janhvi Kapoor and Varun Dhawan starrer Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari.

Social media influencer and content creator Dharna Durga is all set to enter the big league.

She’s playing the parallel lead in the Netflix film Maa Behen, co-starring Madhuri Dixit and Tripti Dimri. While Dharna has appeared in cameos before, this role marks her move into mainstream cinema.

Before she entertains the audience with her quirky performance, Namrata Thakker finds out who Dharna Durga is.

From Literature Graduate to Internet Sensation

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

Puducherry-born Dharna graduated in literature and is a popular content creator known for posting humorous and relatable content about everyday life on social media.

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

She fell in love with the performing arts during her school years and actively participated in theatre and drama during her time at Delhi University.

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

Things changed for Dharna when the pandemic hit and she was stuck at home with no outlet for her creativity.

Her witty, clever Instagram reels and funny sketches blew up on social media and the 25 year old became an Internet sensation in no time.

Expanding Horizons: Brands, Acting, and Advocacy

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

As Dharna’s popularity grew across social media platforms with celebs often commenting and reposting her content, the talented content creator started getting brand deals and eventually acting gigs.

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

In 2022, she acted in the MX Player mini series Bhai Behen Vs The World and later made her big screen debut with the Janhvi Kapoor and Varun Dhawan starrer Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari.

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

Receiving an award for Best Drama Content Creator from Rajkummar Rao.

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

Enjoying a peaceful morning at the Isha Foundation in Coimbatore.

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

Dharna loves dancing and is a trained Contemporary and Freestyle dancer. She’s an ardent animal lover and often uses social media platforms to promote animal adoption.

Dharna Durga

Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

Dharna with Madhuri Dixit at Maa Behen‘s announcement event.

Dharna Durga

IMAGE: Fan girl moment with Anil Kapoor. Photograph: Kind courtesy Dharna Durga/Instagram

Currently, Dharna has 1.8 million followers on Instagram and close to 1 millioh followers on her YouTube channel.

Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff