Shriya Pilgaonkar, who was last seen playing a police officer in ZEE5's Chhal Kapat The Deception, opened up about navigating industry pressures, including the fear of being replaced by bigger names. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Shriya reflected on how she deals with the unpredictability of showbiz.
"The pressure of being replaced by bigger names is a concern. You know, honestly, you never know what's happening in those rooms, but decisions are being made. And over a period of time, I think the way I approach it is- I kind of surrender to the fact that if it's mine, it's going to work out, and if it's not, it's just not going to," she said.
The Mirzapur actress admitted that she has faced setbacks in the past. "There have been times when I have been close to getting a project, but it's not worked out for whatever reason. Now, you know you can't function if you are bitter about these experiences. You have to constantly move on from that and just try to make another thing happen or work out," she added.
Reflecting on how her understanding of the industry has evolved, she said, "When I first started acting, I innocently believed that good acting is enough. But today, perception-building is such a huge part of showbiz. I mean, a lot of people only sort of work on that perception and not substance, but I think it's important to do both. I'm working to be here for the long run and not just be a trend."
She also highlighted the importance of visibility and scale and shared, "It's important that the legacy I leave is through the characters I play and the work I do. But I still feel like... it would be really nice to be part of projects that are mounted in a bigger way, just to sort of give that scope as a performer to also reach a wider audience. Which is why I think that the balance of doing work is very important. At the end of it, what do we want? We just want our work to be seen by as many people."
In Chhal Kapat The Deception, Shriya plays a fierce cop. As part of her prep for the role, she interacted with several real-life police officers in Uttar Pradesh, including ADG Padmaja Chauhan. She also learned about 1090, a women's redressal helpline run by the state police.
Directed by Ajay Bhuyan, the series features an ensemble cast including Kamya Ahlawat, Ragini Dwivedi, Tuhina Das, Yahhve Sharma, Pranay Pachauri, Smaran Sahu, and Anuj Sachdeva. It is produced by Juggernaut Production and premiered on June 6 on ZEE5.
Shriya is the daughter of veteran actors Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar.
