She initially planned to make her comeback with a biopic on Indian freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu, titled Sarojini Naidu—The Unsung Freedom Fighter. However, the pandemic and elections disrupted Shanthi Priya’s plans in 2020. In the interim, she shot for Dharavi Bank (2022), and the Tamil film, Bad Girl.

Produced by filmmaker Vetri Maaran, directed by Varsha Bharath, and presented by Anurag Kashyap, Bad Girl won an award at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam. Priya says, “Bad Girl is a beautiful comeback after 30 years for me. In this coming-of-age drama about a teenager, whose aim in life is to have a boyfriend, I play her mother. It’s a relationship conflict between a daughter and her mother. When I signed this film, [in my head] it was about what my mother, and now me, went through to raise kids.”

Kashyap saw the rushes of Bad Girl when good friend Maaran invited him on set and then expressed his desire to present the story. “Anurag believed in the story, producer and director. He felt that this film needed to be put out everywhere,” she says.

While Priya basks in the reaction to the film, she remains keen to return to the set of Naidu’s biopic, directed by Vinay Chandra, to portray the poet in her senior years. “The remaining one-and-a-half schedule should be completed by this year,” says the actor, who made her Bollywood debut opposite Akshay Kumar in Saugandh (1991).

Ask her if she stays in touch with her former co-star Kumar, and Priya shares that she is “looking forward to an opportunity to work with him”.

After three decades, Shanthi Priya, who made her Hindi film debut with Saugandh (1991), is returning to the big screen with Anurag Kashyap and Vetrimaaran’s Tamil film Bad Girl. In the movie, she plays a school teacher grappling with her daughter’s troubling choices.

Reflecting on headlining a film at this stage of her career, the 54-year-old actress says, “It feels surreal, almost like coming full circle. When I started at the age of 18, I was a young girl trying to find my voice in a male-dominated industry. Today, leading a film at this stage isn’t just an opportunity — it’s a statement. Women’s stories, especially for those of a certain age, are often overlooked. This role reaffirms that relevance and talent don’t fade with time. I’m grateful to be part of this shift toward more inclusive storytelling that looks beyond age or stereotypes.”

What makes her role even more significant is that, for the first time in her career, she appears entirely bare-faced, without any make-up. She shares, “This was a first for me. Like most actors, make-up has been my safety net. When the director suggested going without it, I was nervous. My first thought was, ‘Will the audience even recognize me?’ However, the experience turned out to be liberating. It wasn’t about looking perfect — it was about being real. Without the distraction of make-up as a shield, I connected more deeply with the character. I learned that beauty is in rawness, not in foundation.”

She adds, “Over time, I’ve realized acting is about honesty, not perfection. Earlier, I’d focus on my looks and things like ‘Is my hair okay? Was the line perfect?’ and whether my performance was technically flawless. Now, I focus on being present in the moment and the scene. I’ve stopped overthinking and prefer trusting my instincts. Experience has taught me that it’s the unspoken moments and subtle emotions that resonate the most.”

Amid mounting furore over the findings of the Hema Committee report, actor Shanthi Priya has questioned the effectiveness of actor Mohanlal’s resignation as Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) president. “There was no point. Mohanlal shouldn’t have resigned — he could have actually supported the victims, been there and said, ‘Yes, we are there, please raise your voice and come to speak to us,’ this should have been the approach,” reasons the 54-year-old, who has worked in over 50 films across South cinema.

Mohanlal’s resignation, tendered on Tuesday, August 27, followed the disbanding of AMMA’s executive committee, elected only in June. The decision came after serious allegations of sexual assault and misbehaviour were raised against some of the committee’s members, including office-bearers.

The actor goes on to add that sexual harassment is pervasive, and that instead of singling out industries, instilling the fear of punishment is needed. “Even men are harassed, and across industries. I am a pan-India actor and these things happen in all the industries... Two years later, someone from the Telugu industry can come up and say something,” she says, adding, “Everybody has raised their voice but the question that now arises is — how strong will the action that’s taken be, and how long will it take to get to the point where our future generations don’t need to worry. There should be fear among potential perpetrators. At the moment, it is missing.”

Actor Samantha is the latest major star to openly express support for the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), which played a crucial role in the formation of the Hema Committee. “For years, I’ve followed the incredible work of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) in Kerala. Their journey has been anything but easy. Now, as the serious implications of the Hema Committee report come to light, we owe a debt of gratitude to WCC,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday.

Actor Parvathy, a founding member of the WCC, who quit AMMA in 2020, came down heavily on the body’s executive committee’s decision to step down. “The first reaction I had when I heard the news about this collective resignation was, ‘how cowardly.’ How cowardly of them to step away from a position where they are accountable to speak to the media. That’s an immediate cop-out. With this, the onus has again fallen on women to take the conversations and debates forward. When are the men going to call themselves and each other out in front of the community clearly they are a part of?” she told Mojo Story.

Actor Shanthi Priya, who is well known for her work in Telugu,  Tamil and Hindi films, has found love in choreographer Sandip Soparrkar. The two met in April during a dance event.

Priya made her debut in 1991 with the Akshay Kumar-starrer Saugandh and went on to feature in many Hindi movies. When we contacted the Phool Aur Angaar (1993) actor, she confirmed the report: “Yes, we are together. We love each other’s families. It (the relationship) is at a very early stage, so I don’t want to talk much about it. Let’s see what happens in the future.”

Soparrkar, 57, who was earlier married to model Jesse Randhawa in 2009 but got separated in 2016, shares, “Yes. We have been seeing each other for a few months. It’s a lovely feeling to fall in love. Who doesn’t like that feeling? She is a genuine woman, and I love her honesty. However, we don’t wish to talk much about it. Hope you respect our privacy.”

In 2007, the choreographer adopted a boy, Arjun. Whereas, Priya, 52, has two sons: Shubham and Shishya Ray. She was married to Hindi and Marathi film actor Siddharth Ray, who died in 2004. He was known for his work in movies such as Baazigar (1993) along with  appearing in several Hindi films such as Bichhoo (2000) and Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani (2002). 

A source close to the couple shares, “They are both single parents and there is an understanding between them. They don’t believe in the concept of dating, but there is love for each other.”

Actress Shanthi Priya, who was seen in films like Saugandh (1991),Phool Aur Angaar (1993) and Veerta (1993) quit movies in the late 90s to focus on her personal life. Now, she is all set to return to showbiz with a biopic.

Ask her if missed being away from the camera and she shares, “I don’t have any regrets. I took a break to focus on my duties as a mother and a wife. I think I have fulfilled all my duties and now I am back to where I belong.”

Shanthi Priya, who tried her hand at television in the last decade, says that she feels inspired when she sees the actresses of the current generation. “Today, I see that not only actresses who are married are facing the camera, but also those who are mothers return to showbiz after their maternity leave. I am glad that my sons, too, pushed me to get back to what I like doing the most — acting,” she says.

The actress will return to the big screen as Sarojini Naidu in a biopic on the freedom fighter. Talking about the project, she says, “It is a pan-India movie and will be made in four different languages — Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi. The film will go on floors in June. I have a lot of prep to do before we start shooting. There are hardly any reels or clippings to observe Sarojini Naidu’s mannerisms. I need to get her body language right before I start shooting. I am very excited for this one.”