Bhumi Pednekar has clocked in 10 years in the industry, and reflecting on her journey, she admits that while she is grateful for all the opportunities she got, having a mentor to guide her along the way would have helped a great deal.

“I wish someone had told me that these are the kind of opportunities I should be grateful for. What’s missing in our system, especially for people who don’t come from film families, is mentorship. We don’t really have mentors. We have agents and agencies, but they aren’t the same. For those who come from an established film ecosystem, there’s so much you’re already prepared for — the good, the bad and the ugly. Without that, it’s easy to feel lost,” shares the actress, who was recently seen in Mere Husband Ki Biwi.

In this phase of her life, Bhumi is eager to learn more about subjects that go beyond the realm of acting. The actress is studying global policy and leadership at Harvard Kennedy School. However, few know that she was once expelled from the film school she had enrolled into for poor attendance.

“I was just 16 back then, but getting suspended was one of the best things that happened to me. Once I was out, I started emailing my CV to people and asking friends from the film school to help me connect with production houses. That’s how I got my foot in the door, and the rest is history.”

She adds, “I want to keep my head down and just work hard. I don’t know if I’ve arrived yet. I’m always scared of losing what I’ve built, which is why I try to stay humble.”

During that time, Bhumi was also coping with the loss of her father, which pushed her to seek a stable job to support her family. “I went through a major personal loss, which taught me about responsibility. After my father passed away, I went through a phase of self-doubt, questioning whether I was cut out to be an actor because I didn’t look like the other actresses. I even considered becoming a director or producer. At that point, financial stability was my priority, so I started working with Shanoo Sharma (casting director). I told myself I would be so good at what I do that one day they’d ask me to act — and that’s what happened!”