Wamiqa Gabbi may be one of the more recognisable faces of the current Hindi film and OTT space, but her Bollywood journey began long before Jubilee and Khufiya brought her wider attention. In fact, she was still in school when she got her first taste of the film industry. On her 33rd birthday, here is a look back at the role that many viewers may have completely missed.
Wamiqa Gabbi Was Only In Class 8 When She Shot For ‘Jab We Met’
Wamiqa was just a schoolgirl when she appeared in Imtiaz Ali’s 2007 romantic drama Jab We Met, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. She was studying in Class 8 and played one of Geet’s cousins in the film. The role was small, but the experience proved to be significant for the young actor. Wamiqa had been learning dance at an academy in Chandigarh when the academy’s owner, who also worked as a coordinator for Hindi films shot in Punjab, told her and her father about the opportunity. She agreed, largely because she wanted to see how films were made.
Years later, she recalled that Jab We Met was her “first opportunity to be on a film set.”
The Tiny Role That Gave Her The ‘Keeda’ Of Acting
While the appearance lasted only briefly, something much bigger happened behind the scenes. Wamiqa has said that it was on the sets of Jab We Met that she developed the “keeda” for acting and began wondering if she could actually pursue it professionally. But there was also uncertainty. Watching Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor on set made the young Wamiqa question whether someone without a film-family background could ever become a leading lady. She was only in eighth standard when those thoughts first entered her mind.
That early experience also gave her a connection with Imtiaz Ali that continued beyond the film.
From ‘Jab We Met’ To ‘Love Aaj Kal’
Wamiqa later stayed in touch with Imtiaz through emails. She has recalled sending him messages every couple of months, asking how the film had turned out and whether he was happy with it. Imtiaz had reportedly encouraged her to finish her studies before coming to Mumbai. He eventually gave her another opportunity in Love Aaj Kal, which further familiarised her with the world of filmmaking.
In 2025, Wamiqa once again credited Imtiaz for the role he played in her early journey, sharing a clip from Jab We Met and thanking him for making the “little school going girl” believe in herself.
From A Schoolgirl In ‘Jab We Met’ To ‘Jubilee’
Wamiqa’s career eventually expanded far beyond that brief Hindi film appearance. She went on to work across Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi cinema, before gaining major attention for projects such as Jubilee, Khufiya and Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley.
Her transformation from a Class 8 student on the sets of Jab We Met to one of the prominent performers of the current Hindi OTT space makes that blink-and-miss appearance particularly interesting. And yes, if you watch Jab We Met again,