Actor Pankhuri Awasthy Rode, known for roles in shows like Razia Sultan (2015) and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2022), has embarked on a new creative journey-as a poet.
In June this year, she released her debut poetry collection, The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind. Speaking to us about this new chapter, she says, “Seeing my name and picture on a book cover felt out of this world.”
The 34-year-old shares that her book is a compilation of 21 poems that she wrote over the years, starting when she was eight years old. “I always enjoyed writing about my life reflections,” she explains, adding, “Alternate and coupled rhyming both come easy to me, which made me more inclined towards this form of writing. The feeling [of authoring a book] has now truly sunk in. The book has been well-received, so I feel more confident about it.”
Pankhuri shares that writing has always been a part of her life. “I’ve been scribbling since school, but it truly clicked when I wrote a ‘get well soon’ card for my grandmother. The pandemic deepened my passion and inspired me to publish,” she adds.
Having now resumed her acting career with the television show Dhakkad Beera (2025), Pankhuri shares: “Being a mommy of twin toddlers and having recently resumed acting, I have to sneak time for everything, but I’ve managed with the help of Gautam [Rode, husband- actor].”
After returning to acting with an extended cameo, Pankhuri says she is more confident about taking on more acting projects. “Of course, I am more prepared to explore other mediums as well,” she adds. “As writing is a fixed part of my late-night routine, when the world is asleep, I have found a balance. I am also penning short film scripts along with my regular poems and want to take a step further in writing as well.”