Sisters, actors, and now co-stars—Padmini and Tejaswini Kolhapure recently shared the stage for the first time ever in the musical play Ammi Akhtari, that premiered last October and feature renowned ghazal singer Talat Aziz. ​While the sisters’ artistic journeys have been vastly different, their deep-rooted connection with performing arts remains unchanged. In this candid conversation at Padmini’s Juhu home, the sisters discuss theatre, family, and navigating comparisons.

​Despite their close bond, working together came with its own set of dynamics. “It was comfortable yet casual and because it was us, our rehearsals weren’t too strict! But there was a lot of learning, especially in perfecting Urdu. Padmini guided me with diction and of course Talat Ji helped us both.”

Padmini adds, “There was also extra pressure! I felt if Tejaswini is loved on stage then it’d be like a reflection on me as well and it’d be vice-versa.”

Their sisterly camaraderie has always had plenty of fun moments. “Oh, we’re always arguing, and we keep nagging each other! Our elder sister, Shivangi, is also a nag—it just runs in the family!” Padmini laughs.

​Coming from a family deeply rooted in cinema and music, acting seemed like a natural choice. But not for Tejaswini. “I never wanted to act! I’m the only graduate in our entire family! I admired my mother and wanted to be in aviation, like her. I even worked with Jet Airways. But during training, my instructor told me, ‘You’re meant to act.’”

That set her on an unexpected path—participating in Miss India, modelling, and eventually entering TV and films. “Earlier, I’d visit Padmini’s sets and get bored. My only thrill was collecting autographs there because she worked with everyone in the industry! Theatre and working with Satyadev Dubey was actually an important part of my life,” she admits.

Padmini, on the other hand, embraced the craft early on. “Acting is an endless learning process—you never reach a point where you know it all. My father used to say that he spent his entire life mastering just one raag. It’s the same with acting.”

​With Padmini being a well-established actress, comparisons were inevitable. “I didn’t feel the pressure, but others did,”

Tejaswini says. She explains, “Directors would say, ‘Padmini used to act like this, waise karke dikhao’. My response? ‘Then take her, why call me?’” Those comparisons took a toll. “In my early 20s, it was very disheartening. I withdrew for a while, went into a shell, but theatre and Satyadev Dubey’s encouragement kept me going. He always told me, ‘Your Mother India moment will come.’”

Over time, the comparisons faded. “People saw we’re very different,” says Tejaswini. “Padmini prefers commercial projects; I like offbeat roles. We have distinct identities. The kind of work I do, I don't think she’d be interested in. I like to take risks, she doesn't.”

​Beyond the stage and screen, the Kolhapure sisters share an unbreakable bond. “Padmini and Shivangi have been like mothers to me,”

Tejaswini shares. “When my daughter Vedika was 10 months old, I had to shoot and Padmini stepped in without hesitation. Later when Vedika was three, she took her to Abu Dhabi so I could focus on my flea market project. She has this trait of going out of her way to do things. She’s always there and she is the person that everyone in the family will go to for advice.”

​Their niece, Shraddha Kapoor, also values their guidance. “She values our opinions, asks advice but eventually does what she likes!” says Tejaswini. “We’re tight-knit —Shivangi, Padmini, Shraddha, and I are always there for each other.”

​Padmini, in turn, is a staunch supporter of Tejaswini’s work. “Tejaswini is a brilliant actor, and I’m not just saying that because she’s my sister,” she says. “Her performances in Paanch, Ugly, and Yes Papa were exceptional. She’s incredibly composed on stage, and she was outstanding in the English play The Graduate.”

For Padmini, Ammi Akhtari wasn’t an immediate yes. “When Saif Hyder Hasan offered the role, my first reaction was, ‘No way! Does he expect me to sing?’” she laughs. But once rehearsals began, she found herself enjoying the process. Tejaswini, who returned to theatre last year with The Graduate, was the one who convinced Padmini to take on the title role. “She was hesitant at first, but once we started rehearsing with Talat Aziz ji, it was mind-blowing!” she recalls. The play also marked a first for Tejaswini—her first full-fledged Hindi-Urdu theatre production. “I had to refine my Hindi because I grew up speaking Marathi and English.”​