‘I don’t want to be restricted to one image’: Poonam Pandey

Actor Poonam Pandey has worked across films, reality television and digital entertainment since making her Hindi film debut with Nasha in 2013. These experiences, she says, have helped her better understand herself as an artist.

“I feel I’m at a stage where I understand myself as an artist much better,” Pandey says. “Every format has taught me something different.”

She is now interested in projects that allow her to surprise audiences and show her range as a performer. “I don’t want to be restricted to one image or one kind of work,” she says.

Lessons from different formats

Pandey says Nasha remains an important part of her journey.

“Nasha will always be an important part of my journey because it was my first experience of being on a Bollywood film set and facing the camera as an actor,” she says.

The film gave her visibility and introduced her to the realities of the industry. Looking back, Pandey believes the experiences from that phase helped her become more confident and understand what she wanted from her career.

Her first film set remains particularly memorable. “My first film set will always remain special because everything was new to me,” she recalls. “The cameras, the lights, the rehearsals, the nervousness before a shot: It was a completely different world.”

Pandey remembers feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety. The experience, however, made her realise that she genuinely enjoyed being in front of the camera.

Working across formats has also shaped her approach to performance.

“I think working across formats has been my biggest learning experience,” she says. Reality television taught her to be spontaneous and comfortable being herself, while acting taught her discipline, preparation and the importance of understanding a character.

“Digital projects have also given performers the opportunity to experiment more, which I really enjoy,” she adds.

Pandey says reality television helped her understand the difference between being herself on camera and playing a character.

“Reality television taught me that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply be yourself,” she says. “Acting, on the other hand, requires you to step outside yourself and become somebody else.”

Having experienced both, she says, has helped her understand “the difference between being watched and actually performing”.

Seeking complex characters

With over-the-top (OTT) platforms creating space for unconventional stories and characters, Pandey wants to explore roles that allow her to move beyond familiar perceptions.

“OTT has opened the door for characters that don’t necessarily fit into traditional definitions,” she says.

She would like to play a layered and complex woman: someone who may appear a certain way but has “a completely unexpected story within”.

“I would also love to explore psychological thrillers, dark dramas and characters with grey shades,” she says.

Her dream role would be “a psychologically complex woman with many layers, something intense and completely transformative”.

For Pandey, the script and character are the starting points when selecting a project.

“If a story makes me curious and a character challenges me, that’s something I take seriously,” she says. A director who understands the vision and a good team, she adds, can make the experience even better.

Pandey is particularly keen to play characters that offer more than glamour.

“I want characters that have something to say,” she says. “I don’t want to play someone who is simply there for glamour. Give me a character with emotions, contradictions, strength and vulnerability.”

She is especially interested in roles that allow audiences to see a side of her they have not seen before.

Pandey says she draws inspiration not from any one person but from performers who immerse themselves completely in their characters.

“I’ve always been fascinated by performers who completely disappear into their characters,” she says. “I admire actors who are willing to take risks and aren’t afraid of being vulnerable on screen. That kind of commitment inspires me.”

Actors and filmmakers on her wishlist

“There are so many,” Pandey says when asked about the actors and filmmakers with whom she would like to collaborate.

She names Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, saying they bring different energies to their performances. Singh is also the actor she would most like to work with.

Among filmmakers, she is interested in directors known for strong storytelling and character-driven cinema.

“I’d love to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali,” she says.

Asked which film she wishes she had been part of, Pandey names Queen. Among the actors she admires, she singles out Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

“I admire her versatility and the way she has built her career on her own terms,” she says.

Iceland, meanwhile, is her dream location for a film shoot. “The landscapes are absolutely breathtaking, and I’d love to shoot a dramatic film there,” she says.

Changes in Bollywood

Pandey believes Bollywood has become more receptive to different kinds of stories and performers since she made her debut.

“The biggest change is the openness towards different kinds of stories and performers,” she says. “Audiences today are much more exposed to global content, and they can immediately recognise whether something feels authentic.”

She believes OTT platforms have also changed the conversation around actors by bringing greater attention to performance and storytelling.

Asked whether she prefers streaming platforms or theatrical cinema, Pandey says, “Both. A great story deserves the right platform.”

Challenging public perceptions

Pandey says she is exploring opportunities in acting and digital entertainment but does not want to disclose details before they are officially announced.

The projects she is considering, she says, would allow her to experiment and move beyond what audiences expect from her.

“I want the next phase of my career to be about evolution,” she says.

Pandey believes audiences may be surprised to see her in a more performance-oriented space. What excites her most, she says, is the chance to challenge people’s perceptions.

Her long-term aim is to be recognised primarily for her acting.

“I want to surprise audiences with my performances and eventually be known for taking risks and choosing unconventional characters,” she says. “That would be a very satisfying milestone for me.”

Advice for newcomers

For young actors trying to establish themselves in the industry, Pandey emphasises the importance of developing an individual identity and remaining persistent.

“Don’t try too hard to become somebody else,” she says. “The industry already has enough people trying to fit into an image. Find your own identity, keep learning and don’t let rejection define you.”

There will be difficult phases, she adds, but consistency is extremely important.

“And most importantly, don’t lose yourself while trying to become successful,” she says.

Pandey’s immediate goal is to continue experimenting and challenging herself while finding stories that allow audiences to see different sides of her as a performer.