Who Is Bhagyashree Tarke? All About Former Journalist Behind Character Salma Deewani, Who Won ₹1 Lakh on India's Got Latent 2

Bhagyashree Tarke, a contestant on stand-up comedian Samay Raina's India's Got Latent Season 2, won hearts with her hilarious act as Salma Deewani, a Hyderabadi Muslim girl. Her witty performance not only entertained the audience but also impressed the panelists, including Huma Qureshi, Krushna Abhishek, Ashish Solanki and Balraj Ghai. Her humour and impeccable comic timing helped her emerge as the winner of the episode, taking home the Rs 1 lakh prize.

Salma Deewani Wins India's Got Latent Season 2

Salma scored a perfect 10 from all the panelists and also awarded herself 10 points on her card, securing full marks and making her performance a winning moment on the show. Along with the Rs 1 lakh cash prize, she also received an Ai+ Nova 2 smartphone. When asked what she planned to do with the prize money, Salma revealed that she would donate some of the amount to Nepal.

Who Is Salma Deewani?

Bhagyashree Tarke, 35, is an Hyderabad-based stage actor and theatre maker who recently grabbed attention with her hilarious portrayal of Salma Deewani onIndia's Got Latent Season 2. However, there is much more to the performer than her viral act. A trained actor from the National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi, Bhagyashree was previously a journalist before venturing into the world of theater and acting.

Before pursuing her passion for performing arts, she worked with print media, writing for several newspapers and serving as a correspondent covering Hyderabad's Old City. During her journalism career, she reported on religion, crime and occasionally politics.

She has also directed original productions such as Is There a Way, With Nothing On and Sarenta, along with plays including Sakharam Binder and The Good Doctor. Over the years, Bhagyashree has collaborated with several acclaimed directors, including Vishal Bhardwaj, Mira Nair, Amitesh Grover and Atul Kumar. She also made her OTT debut with Vishal Bhardwaj's murder-mystery series Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley.

Talking about the inspiration behind Salma Deewani, Bhagyashree told OTTPlay that the idea came to her after joining NSD, when she wanted to create a solo performance of her own. The character revolves around a lonely woman with two young children, whose husband lives in the Gulf. What began as an idea eventually evolved into a distinctive Dakkhani character that has now found a wider audience through her appearance on Samay Raina's show.