The 1990s brought us a golden age of Indian television and cinema, and with it, a generation of unforgettable child Artists who captured our hearts. From talented tots to iconic faces of ads, these children weren’t only cute—they were ubiquitous. But while some went on to become star adults, others opted for quieter lives beyond the limelight. Here’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane about some of the most popular child actors of the 90s—and where they are today.
1. Hansika Motwani
Before rising to fame as a Tamil and Telugu movie star, Hansika was recognizable as a bubbly face child artists on television series such as Shaka Laka Boom Boom and Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand. She also featured in Koi. Mil Gaya with Hrithik Roshan. Currently, Hansika is a south Indian cinema leading lady and recently wedded in a grand wedding that trended on social media.
2. Ahsaas Channa
Ahsaas Channa (born 5 August 1999) is an Indian actress who works in the Hindi film and TV industry. As a child actress, she worked in Vaastu Shastra, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, My Friend Ganesha, Phoonk, among others, and as a teenager, She has also worked in famous TV serial Crime Patrol Satark. she has been mostly active in television shows, such as Devon Ke Dev…Mahadev, Oye Jassie and MTV Fanaah.
3. Sana Saeed
Forever famous as petite Anjali of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Sana Saeed was a family name at age 10. She returned once more to Bollywood as an adult in Student of the Year (2012), wherein she had the role of being a fashionista, assuredly going-to-college girl. While she never enjoyed any leading acting assignments since, she continued to remain under the spotlight through the courtesy of reality shows and adoring endorsements.
4. Malvika Raaj
Malvika Raaj, best known for playing the young ‘Poo’ in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), has evolved from a beloved child Artists into a dynamic actress and model. Born on September 18, 1990, in Mumbai, she comes from a film-centric family—her father, Bobby Raaj, is a filmmaker, while her grandfather, Jagdish Raj, holds a Guinness World Record for portraying a police inspector in an astounding 144 films. At the age of 17, Malvika stepped into the world of modelling, collaborating with top designers and fashion brands. Her modelling journey reached new heights when she secured a spot among the top 18 finalists in the Femina Miss India 2010 pageant.
5. Shweta Basu Prasad
National Award winner as a child of 11 years for Makdee (2002), Shweta officially emerged in the early 2000s, although her career took off in the ’90s television era. She also featured in Iqbal, The Tashkent Files, and Serious Men. As a producer and web series/web film actor to this day, Shweta has worked alongside.
6. Darsheel Safary
Darsheel Safary (born 9 March 1997) is an Indian Artists who appears in Hindi, Gujarati films, and television. Safary made his film debut with the leading role of a dyslexic student in Aamir Khan’s directorial debut, the critically acclaimed drama Taare Zameen Par (2007), for which he won the Filmfare Critics’ Award for Best Actor.
The Bittersweet Legacy
A child artist’s life is usually glamorized, but it’s not always easy. Being a famous young person has its stresses—keeping up with school, mental stability, and the constantly shifting needs of the entertainment industry. Some ’90s stars managed to shine in the spotlight, but others slipped quietly away to live more down-to-earth lives outside of the spotlight.
Even so, to many of us, these child actors are stuck in the past—representatives of a simpler, more enchanting age of television. Regardless of whether they continued acting or not, their memories live on through the reruns, the memes, and the nostalgia they created.