Shriya Pilgaonkar
| Shriya Pilgaonkar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Shriya Sachin Pilgaonkar 1989 Mumbai, Maharastra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation |
Film actress, director, producer, stage performer
|
| Years active | 2013-present |
| Known for | Fan |
| Notable work | Ekulti Ek Un plus une Fan |
| Parent(s) | |
Shriya Pilgaonkar (born 1989 Mumbai, Maharastra) is an Indian film actress, director, producer and stage performer. She is the daughter of veteran actor, director and producer Sachin Pilgaonkar and film and television actress Supriya Pilgaonkar.[1]
Contents
Early life
Shriya completed her graduation in Sociology at Xavier’s college in Mumbai and then she did short courses in film at Film and Television Institute of India. In 2012, she won a scholarship to do a summer course in screenplay adaptation at Harvard University. This allowed and led her to work on her own short films. In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, she said, "Once I felt confident, I directed Painted Signal, a short film, and a documentary on wandering cows Panchgavya in Bikaner."[2] Painted Signal and Dresswala, were screened at international film festivals.[3]
Before choosing acting career, Shriya decided to become a professional swimmer. She has won several medals during her school days. She is also a Kathak dancer and loves animation. Her early film-viewing was mostly confined to animation. In a statement, she said, “I love how with animation you can tell the most honest tales with simplicity. It is a very powerful medium.”[4] In her childhood days, she learnt Japanese, believing she'd become a translator or linguist.[2]
Career
Acting
Shriya made her film debut in the Marathi film industry with Ekulti Ek (The Only One), followed by French film Un plus une by Oscar-winning director Claude Lelouch in 2015. In April 2016, she made her Bollywood debut in Yash Raj Films’ Fan, opposite Shah Rukh Khan.[3]
At the age of five, Shriya first appeared on television screen in Hindi serial Tu Tu Main Main. In the popular sitcom, she played the role of neighborhood boy Bittu.[5]
Shriya made her debut in 2012 with her stage performance in Karan Shetty's 10-minute short play Freedom Of Love. The play was a part of the NCPA's Short and Sweet festival. In the play, she had to act, sing and dance.[6]
After her performance in Freedom of Love, she made her big screen debut with 2013 Marathi film Ekulti Ek. She was offered the role of Swara by her father (Sachin Pilgaonkar). The film is written, directed and produced by her father. The film is based on the unique relation of father and daughter. She said, "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'."[2] She also added, "Experience-wise I am a beginner but I think it`s a wonderful time to be in the industry. There is so much happening, so much changing. I feel proud that I am doing my first film with my father."[6] Her film industry debut made her to win six awards. Among them is the Maharashtra State Government Award for Best Debut Actress, which she had won at the 51st Maharashtra State Film Awards.“The film not only taught me a lot, it also helped me connect with my father at a deeper level,” she said.[6][7][8][9]
In the film, she plays the role of the daughter Swara of father Arun Deshpande (Sachin Pilgaonakar) and mother Nandini (Supriya Pilgaonkar). The film received average to positive reviews from critics. A critic of The Times of India gave the film 3/5 stars, stating "It's the perfect launch for his (Sachin Pilgaonkar) daughter Shriya into films and she does not disappoint."[10]
After her acting in Ekulti Ek, she was once again approached by theatre veteran actor Akarsh Khurana to star her in Internal Affairs and Common People.[2]
After performances in Internal Affairs and Common People, she got an opportunity to work in French film Un plus une, helmed by Oscar-winning director Claude Lelouche. "It was at our final performance that a casting director noticed me, and I landed Un Plus Une," she said.[6] In the film, she played the role of Ayanna. She was given the role of an Indian dancer and actor.[3][6]
Shriya also made her Bollywood debut in 2016 film Fan written and directed by Maneesh Sharma and produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of Yash Raj Films. This time she was sharing big screen space with Shah Rukh Khan and was a major breakthrough for Shriya, in spite of her role being a minor one. “When I got to know I will be starring opposite Shah Rukh, I was speechless. One part of me wanted to scream ‘yes yes yes!’ and the other part knew it was a big decision and wanted to understand it,” Shriya commented.[3] For the film, Shriya was selected for her role from the audition of 750 girls conducted by Maneesh Sharma. In the film, she plays the role of Neha, a Delhi-based call center girl and Gaurav’s friend. She was shooting for both the films Fan and Un plus une at the same time.[11][12][5]
After the release of her film Fan, she revealed that she got an overwhelming response from the audience and they acknowledged her performance in the film. "The reaction is overwhelming. Honestly, I did not want to have any expectation because it was a small role and we had two Shah Rukhs in the film but I am so happy that everyone took notice and has acknowledged my performance," Shriya told PTI.[5]
After making debut in Marathi, Hindi and French films, she comments that she wants to continue and concentrate on directing short films.[5]
Adverising
Shriya has also been modelled in a few ads and is also known in the advertisement world. She has worked with popular celebrities like Shahid Kapoor, Vikrant Massey for an ad.[13]
Direction and Production
Apart from being an actress, she is also a director and a producer of short films. In 2012, she directed her first short film The Painted Signal.[3] In the next year 2013, she co-directed and edited short film Dresswala with Siddharth Joglekar.[3] The film was official selection at the Mumbai Film Festival ‘12. Both the film's Painted Signal and Dresswala received average response from critics and were screened at international film festivals.[3]
In 2015, she co-directed and co-produced documentary film Panchgavya with Hana Kitasei. It is a short film, which examines the plight of cows as they wander around Bikaner in Rajasthan.[14]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Show | Role | Director | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Tu Tu Main Main | Bittu | Sachin Pilgaonkar | Television series, aired on Star Plus | [3] |
| 2015 | Stupid Cupid | Ishanvi | Reshu Nath | MTV Telefilm |
Plays
| Year | Show | Role | Director | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Freedom Of Love | Karan Shetty | 10-minute English language play | [3] | |
| 2014 | Internal Affairs | Rhea | Adhaar Khurana | English language play | [3] |
| 2014 | Common People | Maya | Akarsh Khurana | English language play | [2] |
| 2016 | Bombay Dying | Akarsh Khurana | English language play | [3] |
Films
| Year | Show | Role | Director | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Ekulti Ek | Swara | Sachin Pilgaonkar | Maharashtra State Government Award for Best Debut Actress | [3] |
| 2015 | Un plus une | Ayanna | Claude Lelouch | Screened at 2015 Toronto International Film Festival | [3] |
| 2016 | Fan | Neha | Maneesh Sharma | Became hugely famous when selected for the film | [3] |
As director and producer
| Year | Show | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Painted Signal | Short film | [3] |
| 2013 | Dresswala | Short film | [3] |
| 2015 | Panchgavya | Documentary film | [14] |
References
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