Speaking about her deep connection with Marathi Cinema to the best advice she received from Rani Mukerji on her debut in Bollywood with the film Bunty Aur Babli 2, actress Sharvari Wagh, who is riding high on the resounding success of Munjya and praise galore for her stellar performances in Maharaj and Vedaa, features in the latest episode of In The Ring with Filmfare, hosted by Jitesh Pillai and now streaming on Filmfare’s YouTube channel.
In an engaging conversation with the host, Sharvari Wagh shares her aspirations as an actress, reflecting on what inspired her journey into the world of cinema. From her days as an Assistant Director on the sets of Bajirao Mastani to her acting debut in Bunty Aur Babli 2, she opens up about her career trajectory and shares some hilarious anecdotes from her initial years in the industry. Sharvari also reveals the best advice she received from Rani Mukerji after her acting debut and talks about her deep connection with Marathi Cinema.
Fondly recalling a hilarious incident during her time as an Assistant Director for Bajirao Mastani, she says, “I remember, it was on the set of Bajirao Mastani. My job was to manage the crowd along with background artists. Once I ensured everything was in order, the shoot began. Suddenly, I spotted a random girl casually walking across the set with a birthday cake for her friend, one of the extras. At that moment, my soul had left my body, because Sanjay (Bhansali) sir is extremely particular about his shots. And considering that it was the biggest shot of the day, one small mistake could have forced us to reshoot the entire scene. But, thankfully, Sanjay sir didn’t notice the girl as she didn’t appear in the shot, but I had definitely screwed up.”
Reflecting on navigating toxicity at work, Sharvari Wagh credits the friendships she’s built on sets. “Over time, you make good friends in whichever department you’re working, and those relationships help protect you from toxicity. Plus, I have close friends outside the industry who are like therapists to me,” she says.
When asked about the best and worst advice she’s ever received, she reflects on a nugget of wisdom from Rani Mukerji, “Right after my debut in Bunty Aur Babli 2, Rani ma’am told me to always keep my head on my shoulders and my feet on the ground, and I would go far. Even after Munjya, she called to remind me of the same thing. That advice has helped me a lot,” she says. As for the worst advice? “It came from myself—self-doubt, especially upon facing rejection,” she remarks.
Looking back at her younger self, Sharvari highlights, “I’m grateful for the guts I had to even consider becoming an actor. There were tough times, people asked if I was on a break when I was really working hard on set, but I stayed true to my ambitions.”
Opening up about her family background, she shares, “Everyone in my family is either a builder, an architect, or an interior designer, except for my grandfather, who was a politician. But for me, the movie theatre has always been magical. I used to dance to Madhuri Dixit’s songs or Karisma Kapoor’s songs with my mom’s dupattas. Though my family would laugh at me, my mom eventually signed me up for drama classes, and that’s how it all began. I was actually studying Civil Engineering when I won the Fresh Face competition.”
Shedding some light on her deep connection to Marathi cinema, she says, “I’m thrilled that Marathi folklore was portrayed through Munjya. Marathi cinema has had a huge impact on my life, and I’ve always been influenced by Marathi actors. Films like Aga Bai Arrecha and Navra Mazha Navsacha are my forever favourites.”
In a fun anecdote, Sharvari Wagh recounts crashing Sonam Kapoor’s party, sharing, “I showed up wearing a simple outfit from Dadar while everyone else was in lavish gowns. It was intimidating, but I soon realized no one was really paying attention to what anyone else was wearing—they were all too busy looking at each other!”
Finally, discussing her ambitions as an actor, Sharvari reveals, “I want to take on roles that excite the audience and surprise them. My goal is to completely immerse them in my characters. I have always strived to portray different roles on celluloid. A Bunty Aur Babli 2 is different from a Maharaj, which is completely different from a Munjya. That’s the most exciting part for me as an actor.”
