as she had no formal dance training, she underwent intensive instruction in classical dance from co-star gopi krishna for the film "jhanak jhanak payal baaje". the two play kathak dancers who are preparing for an important competition, but face opposition from their dance guru when they fall in love. the film was very successful and went on to win four filmfare awards as well as the national film award for best feature film in hindi. sandhya starred opposite her husband in the film "do aankhen barah haath", where she played champa, a toy seller who fascinates the warden and inmates as she walks outside their jail. in "navrang", she played the plain wife of the titular character, a poet, who creates a fantasy image of her as his beautiful and sensuous muse. the film contained the holi song "arreh jaa reh hat natkhat", where sandhya dances with an elephant wearing ghungroo.