For actress Pranjali Singh Parihar, known for her work in Maddam Sir, Dalchini, Meet, Anokha Bandhan, and Jagriti Ek Nayi Pehchaan, acting wasn’t part of the original plan. Trained as a Kathak dancer and an international gold medallist, she initially enrolled in a filmmaking diploma just because her college director suggested it. Everything changed during a single play. “While performing a play, I experienced something completely different. Being inside a character, reacting like them and experiencing their emotions felt unlike anything I had known before. That 15-second experience was enough to make Pranjali realise that this was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.”
Transitioning from theatre and advertisements (including a dream ad shoot with Ranbir Kapoor) to television, Pranjali faced her first professional shoot on Maddam Sir. Navigating technicalities like camera positioning and cheating shots was daunting, but her co-star’s gentle support made all the difference. “On set, Yukti Kapoor’s kindness gave me a different kind of confidence. She helped me understand things like where to look at the camera and made me feel comfortable in a very subtle way. I am sure she has no idea how much that meant to me.”
Facing early hurdles with the audition process and feedback about her “baby face,” Pranjali never let rejections stop her. Instead, she treated every audition as a crucial tool for self-improvement. “I gave numerous auditions, and I continue to do so because I believe auditions are one of the biggest platforms for an actor’s improvement. Before preparing auditions, I would focus on several aspects, including script preparation, look preparation, props, and even lighting.”
