‘Will never fall into the rut of following the norm to be a leading lady!’ : Bhumi Pednekar

MUMBAI: Young Bollywood star Bhumi Pednekar is a generation-defining actor who is regarded as one of the most clutter-breaking actors of India. Having won 26 acting awards in just 7 years, Bhumi has established herself as one of the best actors that this country has ever seen. Through her films, she has aimed at changing society for the better, championed representation of women in cinema and fought for gender inclusivity, including batting for the LGBTQIA+ community in India.

Bhumi is regarded as an unconventional heroine. She doesn’t conform to how actresses have looked on screen, not does she conform to the film choices that leading ladies have made. She debuted as an overweight girl in Dum Laga Ke Haisha despite people telling her it could be a career-killing move and won unanimous love. She also played a lesbian girl on screen and sensitively championed the LGBTQIA+ community. All her film choices are different and extremely diverse and that’s what makes her a special talent.

Bhumi says, “I will never fall into the rut of following the norm to be a leading lady in this industry. I’m aware that I’m a deviation from the rule as to how leading ladies have been on screen and I love that. People will only remember me for the work that I do on screen. So, it is very important for me to pick the films that I feel in my gut is trying to say something new or aiming to do something extremely disruptive.”

Bhumi explains her point of view further saying, “For me, the script is the only thing that matters when it comes to choosing a film. It is the age of content and artists can only shine their best when backed by the best scripts. I have never compromised on the quality of the script and the role that I’m playing and that will continue to be the only thing that matters.”

Bhumi mentions that she never says okay to a project by seeing who is cast in it. She adds, “If you look at my filmography since my debut, you will see me choosing scripts and roles that stand out before anything else like who is making it, who is cast in it, etc. I’m only seeking out the best projects because the films I do will be my legacy.”

On the work front, Bhumi will be seen in films like in films like Ajay Bahl’s The Ladykiller, Gauri Khan produced Bhakshak, Mudassar Aziz’s Mere Husband Ki Biwi and a couple of more unannounced projects that will push the bar for cinema.