ELLE Digital Cover Star: Sonam Bajwa Is Defining Her Own Territory

She has reigned over the Punjabi box office for over a decade. Bollywood is only now catching up. 

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Actress Sonam Bajwa isn’t merely riding a cinematic wave; she’s shaping it. With record-breaking Punjabi hits like Carry On Jatta 3 and Kudi Haryane Val Di and an expanding Hindi film slate that includes successes such as Housefull 5 and now Border 2, Bajwa moves with the assurance of a woman who knows exactly where she stands. The confidence that powers her box office pull echoes just as clearly in her wardrobe.

There’s no frantic trend-chasing or costume-like experimentation. Instead, Bajwa dresses for herself, guided by instinct and anchored in confidence. “I’ve never seen my style as sensual,” she says, gently reframing the way audiences often interpret her screen presence. “But if people see that, it comes from the fact that I choose what makes me feel beautiful. I love being a woman and I think my personal style is graceful and feminine.”

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Grace As A statement

In an industry that often equates impact with spectacle, Bajwa has mastered the quieter power of restraint. 

At the success party of Border 2, a film where she played the role of Manjit Kaur (wife to Diljit Dosanjh’s character), she arrived in an ivory chikankari saree by designer Anjul Bhandari. The choice said everything. Hand embroidery worked into intricate patterns, with the traditional border accented with gemstones and tassels. She paired the monochrome drape with a sleeveless blouse cut in a princess neckline, finished with a retro bow at the back.

“Sometimes the biggest risk you can take in terms of fashion is to choose simplicity,” she says. “I've always believed in that. Simplicity over any fashion trends has paid off.”

Her relationship with fashion has matured alongside her career. “It definitely shows in how you put yourself together and I feel today that I am not really drawn towards trends. I am confident in my skin.”

Best Of Both Worlds 

Bajwa’s aesthetic, in many ways, reflects a life shaped by tradition and exposure to a wider world. “I come from a conversative and traditional background,” she shares. “But today I live in the city and the nature of my job is to travel a lot and meet many people. Both parts are inbuilt in me.”

She describes herself as “rooted and desi but also a modern woman,” and that balance translates seamlessly into her wardrobe. On the red carpet, she may lean into sculpted silhouettes and heightened glamour. Off duty, she’s just as comfortable in athleisure or a pared-back salwar-kurta.

“I approach the red carpet and off duty separately. But I would stay true to myself and see what works for me, always,” she adds. 

One principle remains firm: “Comfort is non-negotiable because comfort and being true to yourself shows up far better than trying to put on a spectacle.”

Expanding the frame

Beyond the fashion gloss, Bajwa’s career trajectory tells its own story. Like fellow Punjabi stars Diljit Dosanjh and Ammy Virk, she has made a striking transition into Bollywood, building the kind of crossover career many actors aspire to but few sustain.

“Punjabi cinema definitely gave me that foundation in the northern region and even across the globe,” she says. “Hindi cinema gave me a bigger canvas that every artist desires in their career. I am grateful that I have come so far but I'm just getting started.”

Her process for choosing scripts is surprisingly fearless. “Whenever I hear of a story, I ask myself if it scares me or makes me nervous… If it makes me nervous, how will I do that? That's when I say yes.”

She’s hungry for range: intense romance, grey characters, emotionally layered arcs, and even action. “I am a lover of the romantic genre the most, even as an audience,” she admits, though she’s equally compelled by roles that push her beyond familiar territory.

Underpinning it all is discipline. “Hard work beats talent and I truly believe in that. You have to have the discipline and mindset of working and showing up.”

Power, on her own terms

For Bajwa, power dressing isn’t about outshining anyone else. “For me to feel powerful in an outfit would definitely have to do with feeling confident and yet very graceful, and not trying to compete with anyone. Just being really secure in who I am and how I am looking would mean feeling powerful to me.”

It’s that security — on and off screen — that defines this chapter of her career. She isn’t chasing validation but building range.

From ruling the Punjabi box office to expanding her Bollywood canvas, Bajwa’s rise feels both inevitable and intentional. And if her style is any indication, she’ll continue to do it the same way she always has — with grace, conviction, and absolutely no need to compete.

Team Credits:

Editorial Director: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi; Videographer: Krish Arshad; Fashion Editor: Shaeroy Chinoy; Asst. Fashion Editor: Tejashree Raul (styling); Asst. Art Director: Alekha Chugani; Bookings Editor : Rishith Shetty; Makeup : Sonam Chandna Sagar, rep by TAP; Hair : Daksh Nidhi, rep by TAP; Assisted by : Nandini Kapur (styling), Tapasya Sawant (bookings); Artist Reputation: Focus Public Relations