The Pilgaonkars - Sachin, Supriya and Shriya - are a filmy family who fortunately haven’t got sucked into the banal PR game of just trying to be in the news for any stupid reason, a practice which is quite common nowadays. They are a family whose work speaks for themselves. Shriya, Sachin and Supriya’s daughter, had made her acting debut with the Marathi film Ekulti Ek (2013), following it with her Hindi film debut in Fan (2016). However, it was through web series such as Mirzapur (2018), Guilty Minds (2022), The Broken News (2022) and Taaza Khabar (2023) that she established herself as a force to reckon with.

In an open interaction with The Free Press Journal, she talks about the impact her parents have had on her career and lessons she has learnt from them.

Excerpts from the interview:

Your father has been a part of the industry for more than 60 years...what was the first advice he gave you when you decided to join films?

What's very special is that, his recent Marathi film, Navra Maza Navsacha 2, that he directed, became a super hit in the theatres. So that's a very big achievement for him. I've seen my father work with so much passion, love, determination and joy over the years and he's continued to work with fantastic energy. My parents have never really given me any specific advice as such, but they've always led by example. But the one thing that I have learned from them is that the best way to be different is to be yourself. This is something my father always tells me. It's important to not to treat any work as too big or small. And my father's natural temperament and natural nature is somebody who's very curious and he's always said you have to be a student mentally always, never stop learning. And I think this attitude of curiosity, of learning, of having this energy and this genuine passion is what makes him relevant even today and which is why he's completed so many years in the film industry. Something I've learned from him I think is self belief because this is the kind of industry that can tend to put in a lot of self doubt, but you have to sort of hold onto your core values and really have that self belief while you continue to grow.

Do you plan on doing Marathi OTT?

I enjoy working in all languages. For me, I want to do films and OTT. But my focus right now is going to be film work. I've actually worked in multiple languages. My first film was a Marathi film. I've also done a French film and an English series, along with Tamil and Telugu films. I don't think language is a barrier for me and I enjoy working in different languages. I make my decision based on the script and my character. I think today audiences are open to watching projects in all different languages. So, yes, if there's an amazing film, the language does not matter.

Do you have the director genes of your father?

I would say that I have always been a performer, a storyteller at heart, which is something that I get from both my parents. Even before I started acting I was always very interested in film-making. So I do have ambitions to direct in the future and even produce. I don't need to have a one word answer for your career- something that I'm always inspired by is seeing the way my father has been an actor, director, producer, singer, you know, he's worn so many hats. The process of film-making excites me, working with different people. You know, just the process and the magic of text to screen, of taking those words and creating something incredible on screen and sort of engaging with the audience. I would love that, you know, in time, when there's a story that resonates, I would love to do it. But for now, I'm 100% focused on acting.

How do you feel when you are compared to your mother as an actress?

I think it's the greatest compliment when somebody compares my acting to her, because she's absolutely phenomenal. I think she is an incredibly gifted and very graceful actor. There's a certain innocence and I would say rawness to her that is very hard to achieve. She's one of the most versatile actors we have and her sense of comedy is amazing. I mean, we've all seen her in Tu Tu Main Main (1994-2000), but at the same time, she's so amazing with her dramas and on stage. I take her feedback to my work very seriously. Whenever people tell me that, oh, you remind us of your mother, I think for me, it's a very big compliment. But I feel like I have a long way to go before I sort of reach the level of craft that my mother has reached, because that only comes with experience.

Who has influenced you more personally and professionally - mother or father?

Well, I feel like I am a mix of my parents. There are certain traits that I have which are so much like my father- my enthusiasm for life, love for food, the way I am with people and the way I carry myself in terms of my personality. But my mind works a lot like my mother. My mannerisms are a lot like my mother. The way I talk and deal with things on a day to day basis is like her. I have my father's ambition and I would say I have both my parents values. I think what sets them apart is their work ethic. And that is something that I always think is very important to carry that through good or bad days. It's important that you remain a kind person and that you carry yourself with certain dignity, something which is very important to me.

Also, I'd like to add that my parents Marathi film, Navra Maza Navsacha 2 has also become a hit. I did a cameo in it, and I got to share screen space with them in it, which was also so special to me. So I think it's such a privilege to be in a family of performers where you are essentially growing together. You're cheering each other on, lifting each other on difficult days, and you're celebrating each other and your journeys every single day.