Neel: Let me begin by congratulating you on the huge achievement that “Mehta Boys” has got on getting selected as the best feature film at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival. I saw a few videos where the film received a standing ovation. How did you feel about that?
Shreya: I was in shock. I just couldn’t believe what was happening because it was very new for me. It was my first film festival, and I feel very grateful to Boman Sir for making it happen, making a dream of mine come true. My brother was with me, and he even recorded people giving us a standing ovation because he wanted to send it back to my parents. I couldn’t process it at the moment, but interacting with the audience who had watched it made it real. It’s a core memory for me, and I’ll never forget that day. I’m very grateful to the Chicago South Asian Film Festival for having us.
Neel: During the Q&A panel after the film, Boman Sir mentioned a particular final scene where you acted out the emotions and layers really well. Is there anything you would like to convey about the film to the fans waiting for its release?
Shreya: At that moment, Boman Sir was being super kind. I didn’t get a chance to mention it then, but it was all in the genius of his writing. The layers to the character are thanks to what he has written. We, as actors, just go and perform it and make those words come alive. All credit goes to Sir for the way he has written and envisioned the film. It’s a heartfelt movie made with a lot of love, and its beauty lies in its simplicity. I hope it becomes a conversation starter because it talks about things that are truly relevant and important in life.
Neel: When you were going through the script, did you imagine that you would be at a film festival and that the film would be recognized in such a huge manner?
Shreya: I don’t think you ever go into anything thinking like that. You always hope for the best for a project, but I did have a feeling when I signed on that this was going to be something special. I had a gut feeling that this project would stay with me. There are certain projects that shape things for you, and this was one of them. I feel a lot of gratitude for being a part of this project and working with people I adore, like Boman Sir and Alex, an Academy Award-winning writer. It was a major confidence booster for me.
Neel: How insightful was it working with Mr. Alexander, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter, so early in your journey?
Shreya: It was absolutely phenomenal. I was very excited to meet Alex in person because we had only interacted virtually. Meeting him was a dream come true because I’ve adored all the movies he’s worked on. Both Boman Sir and Alex have impacted me so much. They held a master class during the film festival, and the knowledge and information they imparted were invaluable. They were so humble and giving, which was amazing to see.
Neel: You’ve done a short film with Imtiaz Ali and other projects with layered characters. Do you feel that the scripts and storylines have been a stronghold in selecting your projects?
Shreya: Absolutely. I’ve had the good fortune of working with directors who write very layered characters. None of them are one-dimensional. For example, in “Mehta Boys,” Boman Sir made the character three-dimensional for me even before I enacted her. I feel very lucky to have worked with people who write such characters.
Neel: How have you grown as a performer from the beginning of your journey to “Mehta Boys,” with all the workshops and training you’ve undergone?
Shreya: It’s been an amazing journey. Besides working with people I adore, I’ve also had the fortune of workshopping with each of them. I’ve not had formal acting training, but I’ve learned a lot through workshops with directors. Every project has given me more than I’ve given it. Now, I’m waiting for the audience to tell me what changes or growth they see in my performance.
Neel: You also have another season of “Bandish Bandits” coming up. How is the preparation for that, and do you feel the excitement still stays the same?
Shreya: The excitement is exactly the same. When I got the call for season two, I was so excited but also nervous. Meeting Anand Sir, our director, and seeing what’s next for Tamanna and Radhe was thrilling. It’s a beautiful world, and I can’t wait for people to watch it. Every project is special in its own way, and “Bandish Bandits” holds a very special place in my life.
Neel: The promotional journey for season one was unique, with creative strategies. Are you looking forward to the promotions for season two?
Shreya: Absolutely. The entire Prime team, the Amazon team, and our director and producer Anand and Amrit pulled off the promotions beautifully. I’m excited to see what happens with season two because there’s a lot more music and what you loved in season one coming your way. It will be exciting.
Neel: You’ve mentioned in various interviews that you were academically inclined and a Bollywood fan from a young age. How has that influenced your journey?
Shreya: I’ve always been a Bollywood fan. I think I came out of my mother’s stomach watching Bollywood movies. My mother made me watch a lot of movies from a very early age, My mother, from a very early time in my life, made me watch one movie every week. It was across the board, you know, be it regional movies. My mother’s… So I watched a lot of Marathi films growing up. We used to go to the theater and watch live stage shows also. Be it any language, Gujarati movies, South Indian movies, or even international movies for that matter. So, I’ve grown up around movies in a way that just watching them as an audience and loving movies was like, “Oh yes, we’re going to go watch a movie.” And when I was like, you know, obviously, this is pre-lockdown, so going to the theater was a huge experience. And then slowly, when I joined college, the onset of OTT with Netflix and Amazon was also phenomenal because I got to see so much more. I got access very easily to, you know, like I mentioned, other languages and stuff like that. So yeah, I feel like I do what I do today because at a very early stage in my life, I realized I am fully engulfed by the magic of cinema.
Neel: And also, academically, you said you wanted to be a vet or a pilot. You went through the entire process of balancing your profession and passions. Can you elaborate on that?
Shreya: so sweet. Your research is so thorough because you’re absolutely right. I wanted to be all of those things. I was also very good academically. I was also the head girl of my school. I never really mentioned it because I used to be a little shy. I never had the guts to say I wanted to be an actor, though it was there inside somewhere, you know, like the file was always there. So, I did. I wanted to be a vet because I love animals and I loved biology growing up. Then, you know, when you’re growing up, your friends are like, “Okay, what do you love to do? You should do something in and around it. What are your passions?” So, I still really love animals and travel and all of those things. Then, like you rightfully said, I read something which my mother then reiterated to me: when you want something as badly as you want to breathe, that’s when you know you really love that. That holds true even now. It’s been a couple of, I would say, two or three years since I said that, and it’s exactly the same. I feel very lucky that I’m probably that 1% that gets to do what I love to do every single day. Acting really makes me feel alive; it is my oxygen. I’m just excited that I have this work that people are looking forward to watching. I feel very grateful to all the audiences who adored Bandish Bandits over the years or even the reception now to Meta Boy since the poster has dropped. The fact that we had our world premiere at a festival is the best kind of gift for an artist, to have people saying, “Oh, we’re looking forward to watching your work.” So, just waiting for you to watch it.
Neel: Bandish Bandits was such a show that Indian classical music was on the center stage. With all the love that went around and the family complexities, how did it evolve your taste for Indian music?
Shreya: Oh, it fully evolved. In fact, Bandish Bandits is not just a show for me; it’s not just a project for me. It really encompasses what I mean when I say I feel like an artist. It’s really thanks to Bandish Bandits because I did grow up listening to classical music. My mother and my grandmother loved classical music, so it would play a lot in my house. But I would say I was never a huge fan of it. I would listen to it by chance because they would be playing it. But I truly fell in love and respected classical music after working on Bandish Bandits myself, which is exactly what happened to the audience. It happened to me while filming because the music was beautiful. I started hearing stories about their singers, how a song was made, about ragas, and how people made it rain, etc. These are things that really happen, whether we want to believe them or not. So, there is a magic there. Like I said, there is a magic of cinema. I really feel there is a magic of music as well, which I think I had not fully given the value or the pedestal that I should have given it. I was like, “Oh, music, I listen to it every day,” but my love and respect for art forms and music really increased after Bandish Bandits.
Neel: Not being a social media person before you started the promotions and not being that social media savvy, how do you feel when you see comments and interactions now?
Shreya: That’s very sweet of you to say. It’s very exciting. It’s the best thing for an artist to have somebody come and tell you they like a dialogue of yours or a memory of theirs while watching. I’ve been exactly that growing up. I have so many memories of watching movies, and now getting to work with those actors, I feel the excitement. So, when somebody comes and gives me a little bit of excitement or love, I feel so grateful. Thank you for taking out time and watching my work. If I’m in your memory, then all the more thank you. It’s very motivating to keep my audience happy and do better.
Neel: You love boxing, traveling, and playing with Jordan. How do these passions refresh your mind and make you more passionate about your work?
Shreya: I feel your passions can be varied. I’m very lucky that I get to be in a profession which was a passion for me. But there are a lot of other things that I feel passionate about. I absolutely love boxing. I’ve recently taken to a new sport called paddle ball. All of these things help me stay grounded and disciplined, which is very important as an artist. You have days of working 16 to 20 hours a day and then days of doing absolutely nothing. Having a routine is important. For example, singers practice their art every single day. As an actor, it’s important to find your routine, be it performing or just living life. I feel lucky that I get to travel, play sports, or be with my dog Jordan. These things help me grow and make me happy. They fulfill something or the other and round a person in a way that’s really nice. That’s one of the reasons I keep going for all of these things and keep at it.
Neel: It has been a very lovely conversation. I can’t wait for the audience to feel the love for Mehta Boys and spread it to you. We are also very eager to watch the second season of Bandish Bandits.
Shreya: Thank you.
About Author
