Tejaswini Kolhapure: 'Today, People Look At Me Differently...'

'The challenge now is competition. There are so many actors competing for the same roles.'

Tejaswini Kolhapure feels her relationship with the entertainment industry has evolved with time.

From modelling to balancing motherhood and meaningful film roles, she has learned to choose her work and appearances more wisely.

In this candid conversation, she tells Patcy N/Rediff, "Whenever I take up a project, Padmini (Kolhapure, sister) is the first one to step in and practically take over my house. I often joke that I have two mothers!"

• Why Tejaswini Kolhapure Sat Home For 3 Years

'Putting on makeup and stepping out feels exhausting'

Why don't we see you at Bollywood parties and launches?

I've been there and done that. I have attended countless award functions, parties, and at this point, they don't appeal to me anymore.

Getting ready itself feels like the biggest task. If you ask any actor or actress who has been doing this for years, they will tell you that, after a point, the idea of putting on makeup and stepping out feels exhausting.

My friends often tell me, 'Please look like an actor' and I'm like, 'That takes so much effort!'

I can do it when it's required for a role, otherwise, I just can't.

Do you miss your modeling days?

Yes. It was a very different world back then. It felt less judgmental. We would wear anything, and experiment freely.

There wasn't constant gossip about models, the way there is about actors.

At the same time, we were ahead in terms of fashion, meeting incredibly creative people, wearing beautiful clothes. It was an exciting space.

That phase helped me get comfortable with the industry setup.

'Operation Sindoor happened, and it was quite stressful'

Tell us about your forthcoming films, Good Morning Sunshine, Dadi Ki Shaadi, and Zindagi Kashmakash.

Good Morning Sunshine stars Revathy, Neetu Kapoor and Shweta Basu Prasad. It is directed by Sanjay Nag.

I play Revathy ma'am's sister. I had just had a baby at the time, and she was also deeply connected to motherhood. We bonded over that. She's a senior actor, and it was amazing to watch her perform and seek her guidance.

The film was shot in Varanasi, and visually, it's beautiful.

Zindagi Kashmakash was directed by Nirnimesh Dube, and co-starred Shiv Panditt, Rachel (who is now based in Dubai), and Pavleen Gujral.

In Dadi Ki Shaadi, co-starring Kapil Sharma and Neetu Kapoor, we had an outdoor schedule of about 40-45 days. During that time, Operation Sindoor happened, and it was quite stressful because several airports were shut down.

My daughter was back home, and I kept worrying so much that I eventually fell sick. Thankfully, we only had a week of shooting left before we wrapped up and returned.

Working with Neetu Kapoor was amazing. She would share stories from her movies, telling us what happened during certain scenes, how they shot particular sequences... We even had one session where we sang her songs together! We would watch her old scenes, and discuss them. It was such a warm and nostalgic experience.

Kapil Sharma was wonderful to work with. Despite being such a huge name, he had no airs. He would come and sit with us.

Riddhima Kapoor was also wonderful to work with. There was great camaraderie among everyone on set.

'Starting directly with films would have shaped my career differently'

Your daughter Vedika is 11 years old. It must be difficult to balance work with a young child, especially during outstation shoots.

The first time I went away for a long schedule, it was very difficult. When I shot for Scoop, I was away only for a few days. For Zindagi Kashmakash, we went abroad, but even then, it was for a short period. Still, it was hard.

I'm very fortunate that my husband is extremely supportive, and my sisters are amazing. Whenever I decide to take up a project, Padmini (Kolhapure) takes charge.

In fact, my husband jokes that once I start a project, my sisters keep calling him, 'Has she eaten? Has she done this? Has she done that?' He says he goes mental and tells me, 'Please come back soon!'

But he's the first to encourage me to take up work.

Now it's easier because my daughter understands.

But the last schedule was very demanding. I make it a point to speak to her every day, and I remotely manage my house.

If you could change one career decision, what would it be?

I think I should have gone directly into films. I probably wouldn't have done modelling.

I wouldn't call it wrong because modelling taught me a lot but perhaps starting directly with films would have shaped my career differently.

Also, there was a film I signed during the phase when I had stopped working. I think I signed it out of frustration, just wanting to do something, but in hindsight, that may not have been the best decision. I should have waited. But that waiting period can be very hard.

'Shraddha and Siddhant have been part of my growing-up journey'

You are a trained singer. You once said that you were planning to do something more with your singing talent.

I wouldn't really call myself a trained singer because I started very late.

If I were offered a song to sing, I would definitely do it.

We have a trust called the Veena Varadhani Trust. My father was a classical singer and teacher, and my grandfather was a rudra veena player. Through the trust, we organise classical music programmes, with a special focus on promoting the rudra veena.

We have a 150-year-old rudra veena that was passed down from Murad Khansaab, who was a disciple of Bande Ali Khansaab. My grandfather was Murad Khansaab's disciple, and the instrument came down to my grandfather, Krishnarao Kolhapure, then to my father. I'm preserving that legacy.

But to become a serious rudra veena artist, you have to devote your entire life to it. It's an extremely difficult instrument. Since I'm involved in many other things, it's difficult for me to commit to that level.

You come from a close-knit family. We often see Shraddha posting pictures with her cousins Vedika and Priyank.

I think it naturally works with sisters. We make it a point to meet often, since we live close by.

Growing up, we were almost like a joint family. I lived in my parents' home, and one of my sisters lived in the next building. We were always together, constantly in and out of each other's homes.

Shraddha and Siddhant have been part of my growing-up journey. I have always included them, and that sense of togetherness just carried forward.

Shraddha, especially, makes a big effort. My daughter's birthday was on the 30th, and this was the first time in 10 years that she couldn't be there. Otherwise, she has always taken a day off to attend. One year, she even dressed up as Elsa (the popular character from the film Frozen), she made the costume herself.

'Whenever I take up a project, Padmini takes over my house'

Do you give Shraddha career advice?

We all advise each other!

Padmini is the biggest advisor of all! She's extremely busy herself. She recently did an OTT show and is now the vice president of CINTAA. She also has her own brand called Padmasitaa. She travels extensively for shows and events and continues to work in films across languages, Bengali, Marathi, and Hindi.

Despite her hectic schedule, whenever I take up a project, she's the first one to step in and practically take over my house. I often joke that I have two mothers!

Did you realise how popular she was when you were younger?

I had no clue. I wasn't interested in what she was doing. My biggest excitement was that she would travel and bring me the best stationery!

Also, I was extremely shy. Whenever anyone came home to meet her, I would run away. I didn't want to interact with anyone.

I realised how big she was after I got into modelling.

'The challenge is the sheer competition'

Do you think ageism exists in Bollywood

It's a great time for actors now, but yes, I did face it earlier.

I got married in my 30s, so there was this tag, 'Oh, she's married now' or 'She's over the hill'. That mindset existed and I had to fight that perception.

But that phase is over.

Today, people look at me differently because I have built a certain body of work. They take me seriously. The challenge now is competition. There are so many actors competing for the same roles.

Ageism doesn't worry me anymore.

Just look at Neenaji (Gupta), she's had such a beautiful resurgence in her career.

Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff