Piloo Vidyarthi’s journey as an actor has been anything but linear. With a background rooted in theatre and a career that spans everything from television to mainstream cinema, Piloo has quietly built a repertoire of nuanced, grounded performances.
Whether it was her layered portrayal in Akeli opposite Nushrat Bharucha or her appearance in Vedaa with Sharvari Wagh, she brings an emotional intelligence to her roles. The actress has now delivered two significant performances in her recent OTT releases Mandala Murders and Sarzameen, streaming on Netflix and JioCinema, respectively. As she returns to the screen with new roles that promise depth and grit, we catch hold of her for a candid conversation.
Piloo Vidyarthi on her recent releases, career, and more
How did acting happen in your life? Were you always passionate about acting?
I don’t know if I was passionate about acting or not till I started doing theatre in Jadavpur University days. I connected with the actor in me, thanks to JU drama club, my dear friends Kaushik Ganguly, Suman Mukherjee, and Churni Ganguly. I took on from there. Later in Mumbai I had a gap with other chapters opening up, but I somehow went back to theatre started working with Nadira Babbar, Purva Naresh, and Avaneesh Misra and gradually doing TV serials for a few years. Finally here I am with OTT and films.
Tell us about your character in Mandala Murders. What drew you to the role?
In Mandala Murders I play Kalindi Shastri, opposite Raghuvir Yadav. Kalindi has a presence that is rooted with the story. Since it is a mystery I cannot say exactly what is my character, you need to watch it. What drew me to the role is Gopi Puthran sir’s narration and brief. I was shooting in Manali for Sarzameen when I had a video call where Gopi sir narrated Kalindi and the whole story. I got connected instantly as an actor to Kalindi in the narration.
From the sets of SarzameenIn Sarzameen, you share the screen with Kajol, Prithviraj, and Ibrahim Ali Khan. What was the on-set dynamic like, especially with a mix of seasoned actors and newcomers?
Honestly, in Sarzameen I did not have much to do as an actor. It was different in experience from what was narrated to me. But yes, when you work with actors like Kajol and Prithviraj, I think overall in experience as a human, I took away some interesting observations and revelations.
You’ve done everything from television to films. Has your approach to performance evolve across these formats?
Yes from TV to OTT and films the transition is interesting. I enjoyed TV from a different space. I remember while doing Suhani si ek ladki on Star Plus for three years, I used to keep doing my hindi theatre-because the actor in me was dormant in TV. Its just a different world with different dynamics and different audience. In OTT, whatever role I play, I get time to think and explore to be natural to not have to act. I love that.
Do you see OTT platforms opening up new possibilities for more layered and mature female characters, especially for actors with experience like yours?
Well, OTT platforms certainly can hold up a space for many good matured actors with interesting subjects and screenplays. I am waiting, while not giving up hope for something truly worthy of showing up for me.
How do you navigate roles that offer limited screen time but leave a lasting impact? Do you approach them differently?
I don’t approach any role differently. The actor will play the role once she has accepted it. I have never asked how many scenes or how many lines I have in a film or series. However, I have seen many doing this when they are approached by casting team. If I am standing silent yet fully honest and in the character I have taken up to play, I will certainly surely leave an impact or impression.
Is there a role or genre you still feel deeply drawn to – something you haven’t had a chance to explore yet?
I want to explore a lot, every genre, and spread myself fully. As I say it’s the time and the wait.
Who are the directors you’d love to collaborate with in the near future?
I look forward to Hansal Mehta, Vishal Bharadwaj, Nikhil Advani, Nagesh Kunoor, Shoojit Sircar, Dibakar Banerjee, Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Basu…and the list goes on.