Fresh off the success of her latest Marathi film, Pondicherry, actor Sai Tamhankar is happy with the response. She says, “A Marathi film of mine released in theatres after two years. Shooting the film on an iPhone, working without assistants, and the comfort was liberating.”

Tamhankar has been receiving rave reviews for her performance in the movie. However, she admits she cannot view her work objectively. “I can’t objectify or judge my work anymore. It’s been so many years and I have done a lot of work. Sometimes, you seek validation and sometimes you feel, ‘Theek hi kiya hoga’,” expresses the Balak Palak (2013) and Tu Hi Re (2015) actor.

The 35-year-old resonates with “the emotional and financial independence” of her character, Nikita, in Pondicherry, who is a tour guide in the eponymous city. However, the part where she is reluctant to fall in love is something Tamhankar “doesn’t relate” to. “I fall in love easily, very easily. I hate that thing about myself. But that’s how I am (laughs),” she quips.

Regardless, she confesses that playing the character was quite “intense”. “It was draining. I am a sensitive person. (So) I get pulled towards the characters that have a lot of pain and emotions in their journey. It was exhausting. This emotion was new to me. I get involved in every film like that. It’s consuming, yet I don’t know any other way. It has worked for me. Vaibhav (Tatwawadi, co-star in Pondicherry) teases me, ‘Marr jayegi itna involve hoke. Itna involve koi hota hai kya?’,” she shares.