Sai Tamhankar has come a long way from her debut in Black and White (2008), to now leading web shows such as the Marathi web series Pet Puraan, while balancing Hindi and Marathi films.

But there was a phase which the actor calls her toughest so far. “After Hunterrr (2015), I was approached for similar kind of roles for the longest time. I just didn’t know how to break that chain,” she rues about the norm to typecast actors in similar roles.

“Love Sonia (2018) broke that chain for me, and Mimi (2021) broke it even further. Now people are assured that she can play characters. Waiting for that one role to come your way can be frustrating. Waiting is the biggest part of our profession. You have to accept it, not just with a pinch but a bag of salt,” confesses the 35-year-old.

Due to such experiences has her criteria of choosing roles undergone a change? “It has changed. Now, I like characters which have a voice. Pet Puraan was a novel thought about today’s couples who don’t want children, but pets. While choosing a script, it should be something I have never done before. When this show came to me, I was excited to go and shoot. I can explore more freely on OTT though than films, as one can be more adventurous,” says Tamhankar, who was also a part of the web anthology Navarasa last year.

She is however happier that she gets better roles in films now. “If you ask me from my perspective, I have a better understanding now. As you grow, you acquire experience, your point of view, everything changes,” she ends.