DNA Exclusive: Shriya Pilgaonkar opens up about her role in 'Crackdown', answers if she will star in 'Mirzapur 2'

High-octane, action-fueled thriller 'Crackdown', directed by Apoorva Lakhia, which releases on Voot Select on September 23, revolves around the lives of a few RAW agents, who are in a mission to uncover a conspiracy that threatens national security. 

Backed by terrific actors including Saqib Saleem, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Iqbal Khan, Waluscha, Rajesh Tailang and Ankur Bhatia, the series is expected to win audiences hearts.

So, to know more about the espionage drama and in particular about lead actor Shriya Pilgaonkar's role in the series, we interviewed the star herself and spoke about 'Crackdown', 'Mirzapur 2', shooting 'The Gone Game' during lockdown and much more in this exclusive chat.

Talking about her role as Divya Shirodkar in Voot Select's upcoming series 'Crackdown', in an exclusive interview with DNA, actress Shriya Pilgaonkar said, "I have always wanted to do an action thriller and I thought the character was very interesting, especially because as Divya's role am also playing two different personalities in the show. I am not just paying Divya, but, I am also playing this other character who Divya turns into. However, I cannot reveal much about the second character. But, about Divya, she comes from a simple family in Mumbai, she works at a salon and because  her uncanny resemblance to a wanted extremist she is forced to go undercover and become part of a mission to save the nation." 

"So, Divya for me is a girl who uses her vulnerability as her strength, she is courageous and fearless," Shriya added. 

On being asked if the audiences will get to see her in some action-packed sequences in the series, Shriya replied in the affirmative and divulged details of how she trained to get her sequences right. 

"That was something I was really looking forward to and I did get a bit of basic training for it because it was my first time and I had to start from scratch. But, it was fun. There were times when I accidently hit my co-actors but it was all part of the learning process and am happy how the sequences have turned out," said a happy and excited Shriya. "I trained for about a month-and-a-half and we were shooting in Kasauli and Chandigarh where it was very cold, which was another challenge since we were doing action in places that were supremely cold and it's not easy to pull it off," said Shriya.

She added that while most of the action sequences involved a hand-to-hand combat scenes, which had been kept that way to make it look realistic, she said there is still a long way for her to go and a lot to learn, as far as action sequences are concerned.

On being asked what did she take back from her character Divya or if there was anything in particular about the role that left an impression on her, Shriya told DNA, "I feel with every character you play, you put some of yourself into it and that character leaves some of itself in to you, that always happens. For me, what I took back from Divya was standing up for yourself. Many a times, as people when we are going through things, we are in a vulnerable place in our lives and might be pressurised in many ways but how do you then take a stand for your own self, in your own life.That's the quality I saw in Divya as someone who against all odds was able to find the courage and fearlessness within her." 

Speaking about her journey as a stage artiste, in films and now OTT, Shriya said that for her the medium and language is secondary, what's more important is the kind of role that comes her way.

"I am a person who values the process and journey a lot. A lot of times the result is something that might not be in my hand but when I decided that I want to be an actor I always knew that I wanted to explore the film industry, wanted to work internationally as well, in different languages, hence I have acted in Marathi films and will be making my Tamil-Telugu debut with Rana Daggubati. I have done a French film in the past and Gurinder Chadha's British series too. So, my choices are based on wanting to be a part of diverse projects," Shriya stated.

Adding that she wants to maintain a balance between films and OTT, the 'Fan' star said, "I want to maintain a fine balance between doing films and OTT, because both have their own fulfilling experience and eventually it does come down to the story you are part of, the medium is secondary. I am not rigid in that sense. My main motive is to grow as an actor, everything else comes later." 

"My decision is not based on the medium but on the script that comes my way," she added.

When asked if she will be part of Amazon Prime's much-awaited series 'Mirzapur 2', Shriya said, "I will not be a huge part of the second season. But, I'm grateful to the show, the fans, who have given me so much love as Sweety Gupta. This character will always be close to my heart." 

"It always amuses me when people send me suggestions of how I can come back in the show as if I'm making the show. It means a lot to me, the messages and to have that emotional impact on the audience but my best wishes to the team, I'll be there in spirit," Shriya added.

Sharing her experience of shooting Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's suspense-thriller series 'The Gone Game' from home amid the pandemic, Shriya said that it was a unique experience and a rather fun one. 

"The Gone Game was completely shot and conceptualised during lockdown. The highlight for us was doing this project at a time when no other work was happening and to pull it off," sad Shriya.

"The story of the show is set against the backdrop of the pandemic, so, just the fact that we were shooting in isolation and had to do everything by ourselves was like a mini film-making workshop. It was such a unique experience. We did readings online, had workshops on how to use a particular app, it was a very new way of working and I feel that as artistes we need to find different, creative ways to keep our craft going," she added.

Talking about her debut in Tamil and Telugu cinema with director Prabhu Solomon's upcoming trilingual film Haathi Mere Saathi, the Mirzapur actor told DNA in an exclusive interview, "Am looking forward to the release of my Tamil-Telugu debut opposite Rana daggubati. The subject is very close to my heart. It is inspired by the forest man  of India, which Rana is playing and it talks about sustainability, living with nature and a man's fight for the land that belongs to elephants. It also talks about issues like encroachment. The film gives a  very strong message and because it' my first time doing a Tamil-Telugu film, I'm really excited about it."

On being asked if she takes any advice from her parents Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar, who have been acting legends in their own right, the actress said, "They have led by example. It's not that they ever sat me down and told me things. For them the biggest thing was for me to be a person who is emotionally equipped to be a part of the film industry because every person will have ups and downs so for them it was most important that I'm independent, that I don't compare myself to others and they keep telling me to approach my craft with a sense of joy and not stress about it."
 
"The one thing they have always told me is to not forget to enjoy my work and not take success or failure to heart,"concluded Shriya.