Vartika Singh, who plays Emraan Hashmi's second wife in the recently released courtroom drama Haq, represented India at the Miss Universe 2019 pageant. The film, directed by Suparn S Varma, marks Singh's Bollywood debut. In Haq, she plays Saira, whose entry into the life of Shazia Bano (played by Yami Gautam) and her husband Abbas Khan (Emraan Hashmi) triggers a legal battle.
Singh's journey to Bollywood is multifaceted. Before venturing into acting, she made her mark in the world of beauty pageants. She was crowned Miss Universe India in 2019 and represented the country at the 68th Miss Universe pageant held in Atlanta, Georgia, where she placed in the Top 20. This placement ended India's consecutive unplacement streak at Miss Universe. Prior to her Miss Universe stint, she had also been crowned Femina Miss India Grand International in 2015 and was the 2nd runner-up at Miss Grand International 2015 in Bangkok.
Originally from Lucknow, Vartika Singh holds a bachelor's degree in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics from Isabella Thoburn College. She attended Canossa Convent School. Before Haq, Singh appeared in music videos, including "Saware" in 2017 and "Kishmish" in 2019.
Singh prepared extensively for her role in Haq, including working with a diction coach to perfect her character's Urdu. She also focused on understanding Saira's background and motivations, creating a complete look and backstory for the character to fully immerse herself in the role. Singh shared that the story of Haq deeply moved her and resonated with her on a personal level.
Beyond her achievements in the entertainment and beauty industries, Singh is involved in social causes. In 2018, she founded a non-profit organization called 'Pure Humans,' focusing on public health awareness. She has worked with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to raise awareness about Tuberculosis and with the Smile Train Organization in India as a Goodwill Ambassador, supporting children with cleft lip and cleft palate. GQ magazine ranked her among the hottest women of India in 2017.
