Showing posts with label Shriya Pilgaonkar interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shriya Pilgaonkar interview. Show all posts
The day Shriya was born, Suprirya won best actress and I won award for best director-Sachin Pilgaonkar
8:01 AM
Natasha Coutinho (BOMBAY TIMES; June 15, 2024)
Shriya Pilgaonkar still remembers how her father, Sachin Pilgaonkar, would sit by her bed when she was a child and tell stories as she fell asleep. “Each night, it was a new story with different characters. Papa is an amazing storyteller, and I think that is where my love for stories and performing comes from,” says Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar’s daughter.
While both her parents are actors, she didn’t fully realize how well known they were till the time came for the school parent-teacher meetings. “Everyone would be excited to see them, and those moments made me realise the impact they had as actors on people’s lives. At other times, they were my hard-working parents, who were very involved in my life,” Shriya adds.
Sachin shares memories from Shriya's childhood
I met Supriya first, congratulated and thanked her for giving me a daughter. Then I went to see my little one with dimples on her cheek. Holding Shriya in my hands for the first time was the biggest joy of my life. On the morning of 25th April, Shriya was born and the same evening, there was an announcement on TV that Supriya won best actress and I won for best director for a Marathi film that year.
Once when Shriya was three years old, I came home after work and was just lying on my bed. Shriya looked at me and like a mother she asked me “Are you tired?” I said yeah. She started patting me like a mother, and I fell asleep, and that sleep was the soundest sleep I’ve ever had in my life.
Shriya on visiting Sachin's sets
Of course I have visited papa’s film sets. I have so many fun memories of visiting the sets of Tu Tu Main Main and seeing him in action as a director and mom as an actor. He would call me to do cameos and I would happily show up. He is an incredible teacher and there’s so much I have learnt from him.
Travel buddies
“Her mannerisms are like Supriya’s, but her personality is like mine,” says Sachin, adding that Shriya is a foodie just like him. The father-daughter duo bonds over their shared love of travel. “One of our most memorable trips was the family holiday we had in Maldives last year. Papa loves to swim, but not in the ocean. I wanted him to try snorkelling and though he was scared at first, he finally overcame his fear. Like me, he’s always up for a good adventure,” Shriya remembers.
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Holding Shriya in my hands for the first time was the biggest joy of my life
We speak about work, but I don’t give advice unless she asks me for it. Now, we like to travel and just chill together, discussing film & music
– Sachin Pilgaonkar
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Papa is a one man army
Papa is an incredible teacher. He is a one-man army & it’s amazing to see him work with so much passion
He lifts the energy of a room. One of his life lessons to me is that one should learn not just from their seniors but also from juniors
– Shriya Pilgaonkar
My mother Supriya Pilgaonkar is a naughty child-Shriya Pilgaonkar
8:21 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 14, 2023)
It’s been a ritual for actor Shriya Pilgaonkar to write letters and give a bouquet to her actor-mother Supriya Pilgaonkar on Mother’s Day. Continuing with the tradition Shriya also has another plan, “She really wants me to cook for her, so I shall. And then I would send her for a massage,” shares the Guilty Minds actor.
Surpiya was 22, when her daughter Shriya was born. The latter states that the two “grew up together”. “She raised me as she was growing up herself,” she adds. Shriya reveals how her mother — despite being strict — has never restricted her. “She wanted me to have all the experiences in life and has given me the freedom to discover myself,” the actor mentions.
Shriya calls her mother a “naughty child”. “She has a great sense of humour and she is quite witty. People think she is the kind of Maa, who wouldn’t yell but she yells,” The Broken News actor quips. What are the reasons for Supriya to lose her temper?
“She gets upset if cleanliness of my room is not as per her standards or if I’m not eating properly. And I laugh when she loses her temper. I tell her that her fans need to see this side of hers,” the 34-year-old replies.
Mothers in general are multi-taskers, Shriya admits, Supriya made sacrifices for her. “When I was training for swimming, she would wake up at four in the morning. The person I am today is because of all these efforts my mom has made,” she recalls.
With time, tables have turned. The one who used to pack the bags is now being taken care of. “Whenever we go out, I am the one taking care of her. It’s like me taking my child on a trek,” she mentions.
Shriya wishes to take her mother’s legacy forward. “I absolutely love my mom on screen and on stage. She is very honest about my performances. Her validation and opinions are important to me. My parents have seen a lot, it was important for me to carry myself with the grace that my parents have. Gaining goodwill is the most important thing. And for my mother hits and misses don’t matter. For her, how I deal with life is the most important thing,” she ends.
Shah Rukh Khan looked me and whispered, 'Mashallah, so beautiful'-Shriya Pilgaonkar
8:48 AM
Shriya Pilgaonkar with mid-day’s entertainment editor Mayank Shekhar at the latest edition of Sit with Hitlist
Walking into Hitlist OTT Awards with two Best Actor: Series nominations, Shriya Pilgaonkar reflects on the shows that put her on the map
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; February 18, 2023)
Serendipity, I suspect, plays the starring role in most lives. But it’s something we kept going back to, over an hour-long conversation with actor Shriya Pilgaonkar, 33, who’s legitimately an OTT star in her own right, and has been a film buff forever. Enough to bleed her eyes bingeing on five back-to-back films on the big screen at Mumbai’s MAMI festival.
One of which was The Artist (2011) — i.e. before the French tour de force became the toast at the Oscars, and indeed before Shriya was an actor herself.
There is a strange connect she felt with the film’s lead actor Jean Dujardin on the screen, which went beyond the fact that she obviously found him attractive. She told her mother about it later, and ‘journaled’ it at night — about being inexplicably drawn towards this man.
“Cut to,” Shriya says — as all readers of screenplays are prone to narrate their anecdotes — she had cracked an audition for a part, that turned out to be for a French production, set in India, starring Dujardin.
Likewise, before she took up acting as a profession, like many film aspirants, Shriya was assisting a director, Megha Ramaswamy, on a short film, being shot at the Yash Raj Films’ (YRF) studio, where Shah Rukh Khan was shooting as well. Ramaswamy, also Chak De! India director Shimit Amin’s wife, knew SRK, and introduced Shriya to the superstar.
The nation’s charmer number one, and the actor to have cornered all desi female hearts, looked at Shriya, whispered, “Mashallah, so beautiful!” At that moment, Shriya recalls, she died!
Cut to, 2015: There was a moment in Shriya’s life, when during the day, she was shooting with Dujardin, and at night, with SRK — for Maneesh Sharma’s YRF production, Fan (2016), her Bollywood debut.
How did the latter happen? With auditions over three months, where she was testing for multiple parts, and even sitting in for cues for other actors, hoping to be cast, at YRF. It was one such tape — that wasn’t hers, and so she was totally relaxed on the screen — that “Maneesh (director) and Adi Sir (Chopra, producer) saw,” and selected her.
“I like how all these stories happen late at night — I got a call from Shanoo Sharma (YRF’s casting director). I just went over to my parents’ room, told them I’ve been cast as Shah Rukh’s love-interest. And I just shut their door, without waiting for their reaction! Didn’t know what to say.”
The parents being Sachin, and Supriya Pilgaonkar. Both of whom are prominent, professional actors. She belongs to the third generation in the film industry. Shriya’s paternal grandfather, Sharad Pilgaonkar, who she never got to see, was a producer. That explains how Sachin himself started early as an actor in his father’s film — that paved his path as a career child-actor, Master Sachin, from thereon.
Sachin, 65, has been an actor for 60 years! Supriya debuted with the Marathi film Navri Mile Navriyala (1984), directed by Sachin. Shriya herself appeared as an infant in one of Sachin’s movies. She doesn’t remember which one: “He’s directed 21 films!”
Reversing movie history, if you may — since men played female parts on screen once — Shriya first spoke for the screen as a little boy, basically “kid with boy cut”, to say, “Aunty, mummy ne achaar mangaya hai!”
That was her cameo in the hit TV show, Tu Tu Main Main. Those of a certain vintage might instantly remember the sing-song way Tu Tu Main Main was said in the title sequence, after which director Sachin would yell, “Action”, before the episode started.
Shriya followed director Sachin’s instruction in her debut film, in Marathi, Ekulti Ek (2013), too — which fetched her Maharashtra government’s film award.
Given the self-sufficient family unit of filmies, one would assume Shriya as an actor is an obvious career move. And yet, when she’d taken up a part in a short play as a stage debut of sorts, her mother simply looked at the adult child, for where she was headed, and sighed: “How predictable.”
Until 14, Shriya was set to be a professional swimmer; her days centred on training for the sport that she was participating at the state-level: “The sportsperson’s is a tough life. Even in swimming, a difference in micro-seconds sets apart the winner from others. It consumes you.” She was training at Bandra’s Otters’ Club, and gave up on the sport, shortly after her coach passed away.
And it’s not like she had a Plan B, or any particular plan at all. As someone scoring high in class, she did what most over-achiever type kids do, in school, and later in college — everything. I learnt later that she was also the student-boss of Malhar, St Xavier’s College annual festival — it’s the kind of designation collegians, I notice, flaunt even on LinkedIn!
A big move she did make, Shriya admits, was actually the one that she did not — that is, to pursue her master’s at Columbia University, where she had secured admission. Columbia was her trying to postpone/evade the question about what she really wants to do next. Instead she enrolled in a film appreciation course at FTII, began acting in plays, directing short films, documentary, eventually auditioning for acting parts for movies.
That she is multi-talented could have a lot to do with her father Sachin. Best way to describe Sachin is as Rajshri Productions’ OG Prem. He was the lead in the super-hit Nadiya Ke Paar (1982), that got remade into Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994), with Salman Khan.
Another way to describe Sachin is as a singer, writer, producer, director… Between her parents, Shriya rightly insists her father is the star — all about showmanship — while her mother is the ‘actor’, who can detach herself from her work as well.
What’s common between them is they can break a leg! For proof, the Pilgaonkar couple had famously won the maiden season of dance-reality show, Nach Baliye (2005), surprising many with their killer moves.
Which is also in common with the daughter, we learn. Shriya extensively trained in kathak, growing up — that, in fact, pretty much all Bollywood female actors do, at some point. As we speak, she’s finally put that talent to test in a “full dhamaal” song-and-dance routine, “for an unannounced film, produced by Emmay Entertainment.”
From her mother, Shriya says, she’s acquired ‘body-language’ as an important acting lesson. At some point in the conversation, she effectively shows us how her three well-known characters — lawyer Kashaf Quaze, from Guilty Minds (2022); journalist Radha Bhargava, from The Broken News (2022); sex-worker Madhubala, from Taaza Khabar (2023) — would sit, if they were in the same room.
And that’s self-awareness at the level of where the legs are placed, how the head moves, whether she is leaning-in (Kashaf), straight, and attentive (Radha), or totally carefree (Madhubala).
When she was offered the part of Sweety Gupta, on the other hand — a girl from the hardcore, Hindi heartland, namely Mirzapur, meaning Uttar Pradesh (UP) — an advice/warning she got was not to come across as the Maharashtrian girl that she is.
This is where her dad would’ve been the inspiration: “Unki zubaan bahut saaf hai (he has clear diction). One thing he told me is to always master the dialect, before you play any part.”
Sweety is as UP as they get. Shriya jokes people have come up to Sachin to suggest he couldn’t be Sweety Gupta ke papa. It’s this role of Guddu Bhaiya’s girlfriend in Mirzapur, she admits, that gave her “the taste of pan-India fame. Till today, there’s the Sweety-love everywhere I go, and I love that,” although her character died in the first season of Mirzapur (2018).
Guilty Minds, though, she reckons, is what brought her “critical appreciation” as an actor; she came into her own. There is some serendipity here too. In the sense that dad Sachin, all her life, she tells me, had wished to play a lawyer. It’s never happened. He’s drawn to law as a hobby as well — reads books, goes through minutiae of contracts, etc.
It’s Shriya who got to dive deep into the world in ways that Indian screen hasn’t before. In terms of movies, Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court (2015) was a masterpiece on India’s legal system. Shriya agrees. That apart, for long-form content, the realism and authenticity of Guilty Minds is refreshingly first-rate.
Much of it comes from the series creator, Shefali Bhushan, daughter of prominent jurist, ex law minister of India, Shanti Bhushan; sister of top lawyer and activist, Prashant Bhushan. Can’t get more insider than that!
The writing was such, Shriya recalls, that there is a scene in the show, where her character Kashaf, and her team, along with the opposing lawyers, are in a village, fighting against a power plant coming up, that will wreck lives of locals.
Somehow, while performing that (third episode’s) monologue, detailing the human cost of development, Shriya broke down on the shoulders of Sugandha Garg (co-actor), after the director called cut: “I felt something. Maybe the line between the actor and character broke.”
As an actor, she says, she actively practices an attachment-detachment relationship with her work, given that the outcome, in terms of success, is out of everyone’s hands. But it’s hard to pretend you don’t care, after all the effort that’s gone in.
Going back to her journal that night after Guilty Minds shoot, she wrote about what she had experienced doing the emotional scene. And that it doesn’t matter how the show is received, in terms of numbers of reviewers’ nods — this is something special that will stay, regardless.
The Broken News, likewise, enters the world of television journalism, with Shriya’s character at the centre of the newsroom, navigating nuances, if not serious dilemmas of this profession. The apprehension, Shriya confesses, about being typecast as this everyday/important professional, did cross her mind.
“Even my friends say which profession is left to play? But that’s not the point. Even among lawyers or journalists, there are different types.” To prep for her part of a reporter, she in fact spoke to (mainly former) journalists on how they’d respond to life’s choices, rather than intricacies of the newsroom itself.
Not be an ‘ageist’ about it — I’m an old man myself — but there is a rejuvenating aspect to hosting long chats with younger guests, as they delve into their early experiences. The memories are firstly fresh, rather than jaded from having gone through these same interviews/questions, over years. Shriya is one of the youngest to feature on the Sit with Hitlist series of conversations, before a live audience.
Also, you can probe — without, hopefully, coming across as a nosey uncle — on random fun stuff, like her favourite drunken story? Involved lots of wine, during the India-Pakistan match, at Melbourne Cricket Grounds — she had to keep drinking, because once India scored, you’re supposed to stay put in the same position, and repeat exactly what you were doing before!
Or how about check on important issues, like who’s she dating? Well, this chat took place on Feb 13. She said she didn’t have a date for Feb 14. So I’m guessing she’s single. Although she’ll be happy, she mentioned, if she somebody made a plan. If you search for this chat on YouTube, we’ve left her number there (of course, I’m kidding).
Most elementally though, the fact of a young star is you’re catching them on the curve. There’s so much to look ahead. I had looked up Shriya’s TEDx talk, from 2019, and already her professional life has transformed enough to render that talk premature. As would be this interview.
Considered the past year alone for Shriya — The Broken News on ZEE5, Guilty Minds on Amazon Prime Video, Taaza Khabar (2023) on Disney+ Hotstar — you can’t escape on her on OTT.
So much so that there’s stuff of hers on other platforms that I haven’t had the chance to catch: new season of The Gone Game on Voot, a show called Murder In Agonda on Amazon Mini? She’s the only actor to be nominated twice for Best Lead (Female) at the Hitlist OTT Awards.
The first time most Indians, including me, saw Shriya on screen was, of course, in Fan. I kept wondering where I’d met her before. It was at a party in Pune, when she wasn’t an actor, and she was pissed with movie critics, in general. I reasoned that film reviewing was indeed a low form of writing, because it often lacked empathy.
“At that time obviously I didn’t know I was going to be an actor, and that I’d have to change my opinion on critics,” Shriya laughs, pointing out that what had irked her after Fan were actually reviews that didn’t mention her at all.
Which is fair. Indifference is the opposite of love, not hate. While the film was a YRF production, starring SRK, it wasn’t exactly the proverbial launch vehicle, associated with star-kids. In this case, Sachin’s daughter.
Shriya says, “[There are star] children, who get papped, groomed, branded, for two years, before they come as movie stars [on screen]. I didn’t want to be on a magazine cover, even before I was an actor.” That’s also Instagram all right.
But the actual scene among screen talents has changed too dramatically to count on tested measures. And is it even about Bollywood anymore, as one supposes?
Look at the galazy of stars getting created in the OTT space, starting with Shriya, for instance. It’s a medium that isn’t ‘television’ enough for actors to surrender their identity to their character, that carries on playing itself, over hundreds of episodes!
Although exhibiting similar aesthetics, it isn’t exactly film, that is centred on the male lead, hustling over box-office returns. Let alone conversations on nepotism for debutants.
“Every role I’ve got is through passing an audition,” Shriya reveals, on the real serendipity surrounding her — right talent, at the right time. It’s like being an actor with a great voice, just when silent films have given way to talkies!
Cast your vote for the Hitlist OTT Awards
Shriya Pilgaonkar has been nominated in the Best Actor (Female): Series category for Guilty Minds and The Broken News.
The other nominees are:
- Amruta Subhash (Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt Ltd)
- Fatima Sana Shaikh (Modern Love Mumbai)
- Huma Qureshi (Maharani S02)
- Masaba Gupta (Masaba Masaba S02)
- Sakshi Tanwar (Mai: A Mother’s Rage)
- Shefali Shah (Delhi Crime S02)
There are 16 categories that the public can vote in. Log on to www.radiocity.in/hitlistott to cast your vote.
Voting lines close on February 22.
A still from Guilty Minds. Pics/Ashish Raje
Shriya Pilgaonkar in The Broken News
My grandfather, 83, has travelled around 95 countries; Travelling with him is genuinely fun-Shriya Pilgaonkar
8:19 AM
Preeti Atulkar (BOMBAY TIMES; August 21, 2022)
Shriya Pilgaonkar considers travelling her soul food. The actor, who recently returned from a threeweek vacation in Spain, says she’s all charged up after the trip and is ready for her work commitments for the rest of the year. “The past six-seven months have been incredibly busy in terms of work. Three of my projects were released and I finished shooting for two more. So, I needed to unwind. In Spain, I had the time of my life with my friends and am back with more energy and enthusiasm. It was a much-deserved vacation for me,” shares Shriya. In a chat, the actress elaborates on her passion for travelling, exploring the OTT space and more...
‘TRAVELLING IS A NECESSITY FOR ME AS AN ACTOR’
The Fan actor says that she is an explorer at heart, and adds, “The thrill of being in a new place and meeting new people is incomparable. Since acting is about observation, I feel that travelling is a necessity for me in order to gain perspective. I may take a luxury-filled or laidback trip with my family.”
Shriya adds, “But on solo trips or a holiday with friends, I like to bring out that adventurous side of mine and try offbeat stuff like hiking, scuba diving, cliff jumping etc. Since I am a foodie, discovering a place through its food is also an important part of my travels. Just go with the flow is my travel mantra.”
While her mother, actress Supriya Pilgaonkar encouraged her to go on solo trips, Shriya calls her maternal grandfather Arun Sabnis a travel inspiration. Shriya says, “My grandfather is 83 and has travelled around 95 countries. We have done a few fun trips together, including an unplanned trip once. Since he has so much experience, he ended up becoming my tour guide. Travelling with him is genuinely fun and easy. He maintains travel journals, a habit I have now imbibed too.”
‘THE DIGITAL SPACE HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR ME’
Shriya has been basking in the glory of the success of her recent OTT projects, and believes that this is an exciting time in her career. She adds, “The digital space has turned out to be a real game changer for my career. Along with the critical appreciation, it feels amazing to get the audience’s love. I am flooded with messages.”
That said, she wishes to be seen on the big screen too. “I want to do feature films as well. It’s been a while since I have had a theatrical release. There is a project in the pipeline, a romantic comedy which also features Neena Gupta and Lara Dutta. In addition to that, I am actively seeking international projects,” she says, adding, “I want to establish myself as a global artiste. In international projects, the need for inclusivity and the writing have promoted multi-ethnic casting. It’s good to see characters being written in a way that breaks stereotypes and cliches. To me, the body of Irrfan sir’s work is inspiring. My priority has always been a good script, irrespective of the medium or language. There are different kinds of roles that I am aiming to do now.”
‘I FEEL GOOD FILMMAKERS DON’T PUT ACTORS IN A CERTAIN BRACKET’
Shriya says that she wants to maintain a balance between doing films and OTT projects. She also says that she’s looking at different ways to put herself out there in order to avoid getting stereotyped. “The recognition I got from OTT shows helped me bag films. I would like to believe that good filmmakers and production houses don’t put actors in a certain bracket. At times, people are quick to stereotype you with respect to your roles. But I think you have to keep putting yourself out there in different ways and roles. That’s the only way to hopefully avoid getting stereotyped,” she says.
‘HAVE WORKED HARD TO ACHIEVE WHAT I HAVE’
Shriya comes from a film family. In fact, her father, actor-director Sachin Pilgaonkar, was the one who directed Shriya in her big screen debut, Ekulti Ek (2013). While the actress agrees that there are perks of coming from a film family, she says she is happy to have established a place in the industry on her
own. “It is indeed a privilege to have parents who are actors. Since they have vast experience in the field, they understand the highs and lows and what it takes to navigate the industry as an actor. They have helped me get stronger from within, and be able to deal with the ups and downs. But I would like to say that it has been a step-by-step journey for me. I have never approached things from an entitled space. I had to work very hard for everything that I have achieved, and I still do. I have carved a path for myself,” says Shriya.
She adds, “I was selected for most of my projects after auditioning for roles. Every actor has their journey. In my case, good work has brought in good work. There have been projects that didn’t work, but I have enjoyed doing those. I give all projects my best, but the outcome and response is something that’s not in my hands.”
We slept in the same room, the way we used to when Shriya was a little kid-Supriya Pilgaonkar
8:08 AM
In a chat with us, Sachin, Supriya and Shriya Pilgaonkar share their experiences of the last few months
Preeti Atulkar (BOMBAY TIMES; December 20, 2020)
For the Pilgaonkars — Sachin, Supriya and Shriya — 2020, in their own words, has been quite adventurous. They have also had their share of valuable learnings. In a recent chat with us, the three looked back and got candid about the Coronavirus lockdown phase, the concept of working from home and more. Excerpts:
I’M GRATEFUL TO HAVE A HOME AND BE SAFE: SHRIYA
“A major chunk of 2020 was spent at home, in each other’s company,” says Supriya and recalls, “I remember, in the peak summer, our room’s AC malfunctioned and Shriya had to share her room with us. We slept in the same room, the way we used to when she was a little kid.”
To this, Shriya adds that they had a great time and spending time together was thrilling for all of them. She elaborates, “I would often joke saying that we are all roommates. Dad would make yummy meals and we used to work out together. During the pandemic, we have seen the best and worst of humanity. In my case, there were days where I experienced anxiety and then there were times when I felt creatively engaged. Having said that, I’m grateful that we have a home and we are safe.”
Sachin too stresses on looking at the positive things and says, “I am a home-loving person and getting to spend time with family was a boon.”
Sachin adds, “The only thing I feel bad about in the current times is that some people still don’t realise the importance of following safety protocols and guidelines.”
I WAS BED-RIDDEN FOR ALMOST THREE MONTHS: SUPRIYA
Recalling the time when Supriya’s foot was fractured, Sachin adds, “She had taken our pet Jack for a walk when she tripped.” Supriya quips, “I was bedridden for almost three months because of that. But my husband really took care of the household chores and Shriya also managed various responsibilities. I was instructing them sitting in one place.” On her part, Shriya says that Jack was the happiest of them all because he was being pampered by all three of them. “He sure was the happiest Pilgaonkar in the household,” laughs Shriya.
WORK-FROM-HOME WILL BE RELEVANT EVEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC: SACHIN
Adapting to the new normal, the Pilgaonkars embraced WFH quite well. Shriya shares, “I did a virtual play called Lockdown Love, and aai even helped me behind the scenes. Also, I shot for a web series from home, which was conceptualized and directed via video calls. I didn’t want to bother my parents through the process, but they enjoyed it. In fact, they helped in various departments be it cinematography, art direction or camera set up, etc.”
Sachin has also been organising talk shows and mushairas online since some time. “I shot for a music video from home. We recreated an old song called Haan Pehli Baar, which was originally picturised on me. I think the concept of work-from-home has gained prominence because of the lockdown, but it will be relevant even in the post-pandemic times,” he says. With shoots and shows having resumed, the three are busy with their projects. Supriya, who will now begin shooting for a Hindi film, also has a Hindi show that will air soon. And Shriya will be seen in the tri-lingual Haathi Mere Saathi, alongside Rana Daggubati.
Everyone has their own agenda right now-Shriya Pilgaonkar
8:16 AM
Shriya Pilgaonkar feels people are believing anything they hear about the Sushant Singh Rajput case
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 16, 2020)
Many believe what started as a cry for fair trial and to unearth the truth behind actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely demise has become just a scathing attack on each other in Bollywood. And actor Shriya Pilgaonkar wants to keep an arm’s distance from all this chatter and suggests others follow suit.
“I don’t watch the news,” she says, adding, “As people, we have a responsibility towards how we consume news, especially when the case is so sensitive. The least we can do is be respectful. The sad part is everyone has their own agenda right now. What all of us, somewhere, want right now is for the authorities to do their job.”
Pilgaonkar also feels everyone is peddling their version of the story. “There is the truth, and then there is everyone’s version. I am just somebody that does not participate in conversations based on baseless information. Now, we have the authorities handling the matter, they need to be given a chance to do the investigation in a fair manner,” adds the Mirzapur actor, 31.
She also laments the hatred being spread by a section of people around the film industry. “The hatred that is spewing, the wrong information that is being peddled… I don’t know how it is going to lead to anything,” she wonders.
Pilgaonkar goes on to say that during the Coronavirus lockdown, people have seen extreme human behaviour — the best and the worst.
“At a time when we need to operate from a place of empathy and kindness towards each other, people are choosing a convenient route behind their screen to just spew hatred, without even understanding what the situation is. I feel very helpless right now. You just don’t know what to do when you see people believing in anything and everything they hear without evidence and investigation. I don’t indulge in that. It is difficult for me to not get depressed about it,” she ends.
There won’t be much of a birthday celebration-Shriya Pilgaonkar
8:16 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 25, 2020)
Shriya Pilgaonkar turns a year older today, and this year, her prayer and wish is for “all of us all to overcome the Coronavirus pandemic”. “The last three birthdays have been on a set and I have been grateful to be working on my birthday. But this year, I am happy to be home with my family. The pandemic has made me realise that there are so many basic things which we take for granted. I am aware of the privileges that I have and I did my bit by donating. There won’t be much of a birthday celebration but dad [Sachin Pilgaonkar; actor] is going to cook a dish for me.”
Prior to the lockdown, the actor was constantly travelling and so the first week of staying home was about chilling, spending time with family, reading and watching content. “Doing chores at home takes up a lot of the day and now, there is even more gratitude towards all the help we have. I didn’t want a sense of lethargy to kick in so, I took a course on screenwriting,” she says.
As the pandemic has affected every industry, Pilgaonkar feels that today, people are trying to be creative in their own way. “I enjoyed performing a play online called Lockdown Lovers, produced by Roshan Abbas. We performed it live and that was an experience like no other. We are also working on another series. But I think, it will be a while before things get back to normal as priority today, is to be safe. So, we will have to pull through in these times,” she says.
Both, Gurinder Chadha and I, enjoy history-Shriya Pilgaonkar
8:26 AM
Deepali Singh (DNA; June 15, 2019)
After Shriya Pilgaonkar auditioned for the British TV series Beecham House, she didn’t hear from them for quite some time. “One day, I was suddenly called to their office and I thought I was going for a meeting, but they started taking measurements for the outfits!” she recalls with a laugh. Directed by Gurinder Chadha, the period drama set in 1795 was shot across London and Rajasthan and was an engaging and interesting process for the Mirzapur actress. Shriya tells us more about the show and her role...
Was it daunting to be a part of an international production?
I have done a French film earlier, but this is my first British series and one of the primary parts. In that sense, I was a little nervous about it, especially because it’s a period drama and this is the first time I’m speaking English on screen. Everyone had to undergo voice lessons and diction training workshops because the English spoken in a period drama is a little different from how one would speak otherwise. It’s slower and the sentences are fuller. I wasn’t daunted as I was excited about the experience. Also, it was a diverse cast and crew from all over the world and I was really looking forward to that setup.
Tell us a bit about the show and your character.
It’s a drama about family, relationships, love and loss. These are universal themes. Hence, they’re quite relatable. My character is an intriguing one. There is not much known about her. She is a young girl who comes to the house as the caretaker to John Beecham’s baby and ends up falling in love with his brother. She is ambitious, adventurous and loyal. A part of her wants to explore the world and she is always torn and conflicted about what she wants to do. What makes her more intriguing are the choices she makes. She is unafraid and uninhibited.
How was it to work with Gurinder Chadha?
She really represents diversity in the true sense because she is able to keep her team together, which I think is the most important quality of a director. She has a good understanding of the script and working with actors. Both of us enjoy history. There was so much energy on the sets and she deserves credit for that.
What’s next?
I have a film titled Bhangra Paa Le with Sunny Kaushal and Anubhav Sinha’s Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai. Then I have Haathi Mere Saathi, a trilingual with Rana Daggubati. It’s my first Tamil-Telugu project. There is also a project for an OTT platform.
Gurinder Chadha helped us develop our characters, and find our place in the ensemble cast-Shriya Pilgaonkar
8:03 AM
Making her international debut with Chadha’s Beecham house, Shriya Pilgaonkar on establishing herself amidst a powerhouse of international talent
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 19, 2019)
Pulling off a promising act as Ali Fazal’s wife in the web show Mirzapur, Shriya Pilgaonkar felt like a débutant all over again after the show’s success earned her further recognition. “It has changed the momentum of my career. More interesting work is coming my way now. For the first time, I’m experiencing this kind of recognition. When I least expect it, people randomly call out to me by [my character’s name], Sweety. People tell my parents to convey their love for me,” says the actor, whose ill-fated character was eventually killed off in the thriller. “Even then, I get messages from people on Instagram suggesting ways in which my character could be brought back into the series. They are hilarious, but also flattering.” Is she then set to make a return to the show? “I don’t know yet.”
Up next, Pilgaonkar moves on to another promising offering. Gurinder Chadha’s British historical drama Beecham House has established names like Lesley Nicole and Tom Bateman as the headlining cast. Pilgaonkar, who slips into the part of a nursemaid in the show that is set in Delhi before the British rule, says, “Gurinder is a powerhouse. This is the first time I’m doing a period drama, so I was nervous, at first. I took this opportunity to read up about the time period that the show is set in. I also took voice and diction lessons, which were interesting. Gurinder helped us develop our characters, and find our place in the ensemble cast. I had seen the works of some of my co-actors, including Lesley, Mark Warren and Bateman. So, I was excited to work with them.”
Having auditioned for the role of Chanchal, a “feisty and charming girl with a mysterious past”, who turns up at John Beecham’s palatial Beecham House to take care of his baby, Pilgaonkar describes her character as one who is adventurous. “Chanchal has many shades to her. She is unpredictable, and discovers a lot about love throughout the course of the series.”
Shooting for the show took place in London's Ealing Studios last year. “We shot the India schedule in Jaipur and Udaipur.”
No 'Tu Tu Main Main' for the 'besties' Sachin, Supriya and Shriya Pilgaonkar
9:47 AM
There's no 'tu tu main main' at this actors' homestead. Instead it's dad, mom and daughter's fortress of support
Udita Jhunjhunwala (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 20, 2016)
Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar protectively flank their 26-year-old daughter Shriya on the couch in their Andheri home. Supriya has returned from the shoot of her daily soap Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi, while Shriya is ramping up for the release of her first Hindi film. It's the kind of banter you expect between friends — after all, Supriya was only 21 years old when she became a mother. She met her future husband, 11 years her senior, on the sets of her first film Navri Mile Navryala.
So what was it like growing up in a home with such accomplished parents? "I was aware, but it was not overwhelming. We are simple people essentially, so it was not a filmy household. I knew my parents were great at what they did and loved their work. I had been to film sets and there was always that conversation. But they were good parents — they were always there. They balanced their work and parenthood beautifully," says Shriya. "The only time I felt a little awkward was when Tu Tu Main Main was at its peak."
The next time her parents' professional commitment stressed Shriya out was in 2005, when Sachin and Supriya partnered up for Nach Baliye — and won! "Whenever Shriya, as a child, participated in any function or event, Supriya went along as her guardian. But during all the episodes of Nach Baliye, Shriya was there as our guardian," says actor-producer-director Sachin. Shriya adds, "I was stressed out of my mind. I had seen how hard they worked. And when they won, I had tears in my eyes. But they were tears of relief. I was so glad it was over!" Shriya made her big screen debut in 2013 in Ekulti Ek, a Marathi film directed by and co-starring her father. Watching Shriya on stage in a play entitled Freedom of Love, Sachin spotted a spark, and decided to pitch the idea of a father-daughter story to Shriya. "The first thing she said was, 'I would like to read the script'. Being our daughter, it was evident she would do such a thing. That was the only thing I did with her, and not for her."
She went on to act in the French film Un + Une and now makes her entry into Bollywood. Out in the professional world, Shriya doesn't reveal her antecedents unless asked and, like many hopeful girls, auditioned for for an upcoming film, unbeknownst to her parents. "I get stressed out when she goes for auditions," says mother Supriya. "As an actor, I didn't have to struggle much. I do the work that comes to me. Here she is going to ask for work and that too, through auditions."
The parents say they did not have an inkling that Shriya was attracted to acting nor did they encourage her to follow in their footsteps. "I always wanted to see what she wanted to do. She was a competitive swimmer — she represented Maharashtra state. She was doing well in her Sociology course at Xavier's College. She only started showing signs of becoming an actor after graduation," says Sachin. The Geet Gaata Chal and Nadiya Ke Paar actor admits that while he was surprised by her interest, he was also supportive. "Because I know she will do whatever she does with seriousness. She is not fickle, like her mother. In this way she is more like me."
Married for 30 years, Sachin and 'Super', as he refers to his wife, share a mutual respect as parents and professionals and bicker about typical issues: he leaves his things lying around; she puts them in different places and he cannot find them. "If she tells me one thing, I remember it for life; but even after 30 years, I have been unable to get her to change her habit of leaving the bedroom door open," says Sachin. Shriya listens to her parents' quibbles and mutters, "This is all so boring and predictable!" Supriya recalls a time when they were shooting for Tu Tu Main Main. "I like to pull his leg sometimes." Sachin interrupts, "One day, she told the unit that they should make a resolution to start shooting at 7 am and pack up by 2 pm. She made everyone sign that paper and sent it to me. She told the production manager not to tell me that she has done it. But she forgot that I can recognise her handwriting, because it's the same handwriting in which she used to write love letters to me."
Performance and the stage are in Shriya's genes. And while Supriya ensured that her only child stayed grounded, in reality Shriya's path was predestined. "I believe you understand whether you want to do something or not if you enjoy the hard work. When I was on stage I had the thought that this is where I am supposed to be." As a child Shriya often visited her parents on their sets. But as a swimmer she had short, cropped hair, a look she says her parents took advantage of. "They were so mean. Because I had short hair they made me play the neighbourhood boy Bittu on the show, who would ask for some achaar or something."
In a household with three busy working members, when do the Pilgaonkars find time for each other? "At any given point in time we are in touch with each other through our phones. Our WhatsApp family group is called 'Besties'," says Supriya. "Trekking in Himachal was one of our favourite trips together. Last year all three of us we went to America for the fall colours." Sachin adds, "When together, we share stories, poetry, we laugh a lot and Shriyu and I are serious foodies too."
Last year, Sachin reinvented himself in the role of classical singer Khansaheb Aftab Hussain Bareliwale in Katyar Kaljat Ghusali, a part that earned him much acclaim. The 58-year-old actor says, "After I became an adult hero, I was in a zone. Then suddenly in 2013 I get this film. I had to get out of one zone — of having a hero image — and went into a different zone to reinvent myself. One can get stuck in one's own mindset." Shriya was overwhelmed watching her father's transformation and found observing a fellow artiste's process exciting. "I feel ambitious enough to think that I can be as multi-talented as my father," she adds.
While her parents have never imposed their views on her, Shriya has learnt plenty through observing their demeanour. "From him, I have learnt the art of listening as an actor and the art of communicating as a director. I have learnt to respect everyone on set, from the spotboy to the producer. The only thing they have ever told me is do whatever you want do to with conviction, and have a good time."
In Jean Dujardin's Un Plus Une, I play a small part in a film within the film-Shriya Pilgaonkar
9:45 AM
Supriya
and Sachin Pilgaonkar's daughter says her lineage hasn't earned her
much; certainly not the French film she landed with Jean Dujardin
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 8, 2015)
"I am the boy in that picture," she says, pointing to a kid in a framed photo hanging from the wall of her Lokhandwala home. Shriya Pilgaonkar was five when she landed on the sets of Tu Tu Main Main, a popular Hindi sitcom directed by her father, Sachin, featuring her mother, celebrated Marathi actress Supriya Pilgaonkar.
The 25-year-old continues the legacy, and is particularly proud of her latest project - French film, Un Plus Une stars Oscar-award-winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) and is directed by Claude Lelouch (Best Foreign Film Oscar for A Man and a Woman; 1966) - but doesn't want to be tagged as just an actor. "There's so much pressure. People are always curious about what you'll do next, and in my case, there is never just one thing," she says. Often, a random response ("microbiology works") saves her from further inquisition.
In fact, Shriya only recently decided to consider acting. Preparing to be a professional swimmer, she was an under-7 and under-9 gold medallist and state level swimmer, even shifting schools to allow her more time underwater. But her mother thought she had potential for percussion. "As a kid, I'd drum the dining table, so she bought me a tabla," Shriya laughs.
But like most childhood obsessions, it didn't pull through to adulthood. As a sociology student at St. Xavier's College, languages fascinated her. She learnt Japanese, believing she'd become a translator or linguist. She also imagined herself as a teacher and researcher, but her love for telling stories was strong enough to draw her into showbiz.
Her professional introduction to filmmaking began at Harvard summer school where she studied screenplay adaptation. This was followed by a film appreciation class from FTII, but she says she learnt far more when she began assisting directors on home productions. "Once I felt confident, I directed Painted Signal, a short film, and a documentary on wandering cows in Bikaner. The environment-centric docu titled, Panchgavya, set to premiere at an international festival this year, was co-directed by Shriya's Harvard batchmate, Hana Kitasei.
"All this while," she says, "acting was nowhere on the horizon". And suddenly, she was offered the chance to perform in a 10-minute play called Freedom To Love, staged as part of a theatre festival at NCPA. "I realised, when I'm acting, I'm 100 per cent there," she says.
It was after this performance that Sachin offered her Ekulti Ek (My only child), her Marathi debut film, in 2013. "He has been credited for launching many a talent, including my mother. When he offered me the film, I didn't want a favour. But he corrected me, saying, 'I am not stupid to invest resources without reason'." That she picked up six awards for her role of Swara, daughter of a celebrated singer (played by Sachin) who leaves his family to follow his career, validates her choice. "I'm aware that people think star kids have it easy, but are all doors that open easily worth exploring?"
Stage beckoned once again, when theatre veteran Akarsh Khurana spotted her in Freedom to Love and cast her in Internal Affairs and Common People. That Shriya continued to learn, signing up for an acting course at the Jeff Goldberg Studio in Bandra, helped. "It was at our final performance that a casting director noticed me, and I landed Un Plus Une," she says about the comic road movie that explores the love story of four characters. The film that was shot partly in Mumbai, Varanasi and New Delhi, sees Shriya play a small part "in a film within the film". "I am not allowed to say more," she smiles.
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