Sometimes, a small role can make a big impact, and Saumya Tandon has experienced that with Dhurandhar. Known for her comic performances, the actress surprised audiences with a layered, intense portrayal that relied on expressions and silences rather than dialogue. The film has brought her a new wave of recognition. While the appreciation has been reassuring, have the right opportunities come as easily as she would have hoped? As she moves on to a very different character in a Sooraj Barjatya’s next, Saumya reflects on life after Dhurandhar, the struggle to find quality scripts and her determination to keep evolving as an actor.

Talking about life post Dhurandhar, Saumya says, “Things have taken off post Dhurandhar. I think there is a lot of validation from people in the industry now. I always thought I could, but now even they feel that I can do something serious and deep which has a lot of layers. I get a lot of calls from people saying, ‘Oh, you act so well.’ I was always seen as somebody who did comedy and had not done anything intense like this before. So, there has been a change.”

Saumya is excited about her part in Sooraj Barjatya’s upcoming release, however, she explains that actors often find themselves being offered variations of characters they have already played.

“They tend to keep calling you for similar parts — a wife grieving the loss of a child or a complicated husband-wife relationship. The struggle is to find the right character in a good script. The real challenge in this industry is finding a good script and a good part. I have always been a thinking actor, and I have always struggled. I consider myself a struggler for life. If you are looking for quality work and good parts, it is going to be tough because there are very few good scripts.”

Saumya admits that her career has not unfolded quite as she had imagined when she first arrived in Mumbai.

“When I came to Mumbai and started out, I had huge expectations of myself. I really thought I would star as a leading lady in Bollywood. So yes, I am definitely failing at that. Having said that, I think I am on a journey. With time and so many years in this industry, I have calmed down. I feel the focus should be on how you are evolving and improving as an artiste, rather than just looking at where you have reached.”

The increased recognition has not necessarily translated into the kind of work she has been hoping for. Saumya believes that finding a good script and a character that offers something new remains the real challenge.

“A lot has happened, but I am a little disappointed that a lot more could have happened and has not. I don’t expect anything from this industry. I am pretty cynical about it. I don’t think the industry really roots for you or changes things for you. You have to change things for yourself. The calls have increased, and the roles being offered are more now, but the question is: what kind of roles are coming my way? They should be different from what I have already done.”