Early career (2006-2012)

She made her first film appearance in the Kannada hit film Mungaru Male (2006) as a friend to the film's female lead (Pooja Gandhi).^[4] She continued to star in supporting roles in three Kannada films: Milana (2007), Uda (2009), and Bhaya.com (2009). She also appeared in a film titled Gaganachukki, though it was never released.^[4] Shetty left the Kannada industry to work in Tamil as she was unwilling to do any more second lead roles. After leaving the Kannada film industry, her first Tamil film was Azhukkan Azhagakiran (2010). She is best known for featuring alongside Jayam Ravi in Thillalangadi (2010), with the director of the film Mohan Raja recommending her to also star in Orange (2010) featuring Ram Charan. In 2012, she signed her first leading role in Kollaikaran.^[5]

Recognition and other films (2013-present)

Shetty has played female lead character in Nalan Kumarasamy's black comedy Soodhu Kavvum which was a critical and commercial success, and it is to be considered biggest success in her career.^[6] She played an imaginary character in the film, which was received well. Sify wrote, "Sanchita Shetty as his (Vijay Sethupathy) girlfriend is smashing and delivers some one-liners with perfect lip sync".^[7] The film went on to be remade in several other Indian languages and Shetty expressed interest in reprising the role in its remakes as well.^[8] Then, she is paired with Ashok Selvan in Pizza II: Villa (2013).^[9]

In 2016, Shetty made her return to the Kannada film industy with Badmaash (directed by Akash Srivatsa), in which she played a radio jockey.^[10] In Tamil, she continued to perform simultaneously as Ennodu Vilayadu (2017), Rum (2017), Enkitta Mothathe (2017), Yenda Thalaiyila Yenna Vekkala (2018) and Johnny (2018). In 2021, she appeared in Devadas Brothers and Vinodhaya Sitham.