EXCLUSIVE: Supernatural horror-comedy is not a genre one necessarily associates with Bollywood, but Munjya, starring Sharvari and Abhay Verma, looks set to topple those expectations, and the pic has now entered the hallowed ‘100-crore (1 billion rupees) club’. The sleeper hit is the latest instalment in the Maddock Supernatural Universe (previous films are Stree, Roohi, Bhediya) and focuses on the legend of ‘munjya’, an evil spirit from Indian folklore. Sharvari plays Bela, the love interest of Verma’s Bittu. The film is only Sharvari’s second feature as an actor, and the breakout star could in the near future find herself on a winning streak. She will soon star opposite Bollywood heavyweights John Abraham and Alia Bhatt in the first female-led film in the YRF spy universe. Here, she chats to Deadline about Munjya, Hollywood aspirations and why it shouldn’t matter that her grandfather is a former Chief Minister.
Congratulations on Munjya’s success, you must be excited that your second feature film has taken off. How has it been getting here?
It is a great feeling. I love the journey of testing out the waters. I never had the guts to admit it to myself, but I’d always wanted to be an actor even though my father is a builder and my mum is in interior design. During my college degree in engineering, I won a pageant and started auditioning, and my first audition was actually with Siddhant Chaturvedi [Gully Boy], who was also an outsider from the industry. I auditioned a lot, and it was tough – it feels like you’re failing an exam every day. I realized that I don’t have a film family, and there was a lot I needed to learn, so I went behind the scenes, worked for several years with directors Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Luv Ranjan, and worked my way up from there. I have been awed by the big stars who have huge ‘100-crore and above’ hits to their credit. To think that so many people have come to the theaters to see you, to shower their love and appreciation on your film and your work, is quite an overwhelming moment for me. Munjya is only the second release of my career. So, to taste this kind of success so early in my career is hugely motivating.
What drew you to working on Munjya?
I am a proud Maharashtrian, and Munjya is based on a Maharashtrian folktale. I think there should be more films like this based on folktales because Indian folklore is so rich. Even within Maharashtrian folklore there are more stories – there’s a phenomenon called ‘chakwa’ in the Konkan region, which basically says a mischievous spirit will cause you to circle around in the same route multiple times without reaching your destination. It’s such a cool concept, I think the closest internationally recognizable explanation would be something like a ‘glitch in the Matrix’. They’ve made a Marathi movie about it but I would love to make a Hindi or English film about ‘chakwa’ at some point.
How does it feel now that you’re set to star opposite John Abraham in Vedaa and Alia Bhatt in the YRF spy universe?
It’s actually so surreal to think about working with such legends, especially because the project I’ll be co-starring with Alia Bhatt in is the first female-led film in the YRF spy universe. I’m willing to shout about it from the mountains – Alia is my favorite actor ever, and Aditya Chopra is one of the most renowned producers in the country. The YRF Spy Universe has India’s biggest superstars – Shah Rukh [Khan] Sir, Salman [Khan] Sir, Katrina [Kaif], Hrithik [Roshan] Sir. For Adi [Chopra] Sir to even envision me in this space is a huge compliment and a huge responsibility. This film is a first of its kind because we have never seen spy films in India that have been led by two strong women. I think that it’s time that women take the front seat, and we will put out an incredible message for an entire generation. It’s almost like breaking glass ceilings, you know.
There’s a lot of discussion currently around ‘nepo babies’ and how difficult it is to break into the industry as an outsider. You yourself mentioned how your journey took time because you didn’t have a film family. What would you say to people who point out that your grandfather was formerly Chief Minister of [Indian state] Maharashtra?
I mean, there is not much to say – it is a fact. Everybody has their own set of privileges, but when I came into this industry, I still had absolutely no idea what to do or how it worked. If I’d known I could use anything to my advantage, maybe I wouldn’t have assisted so much and maybe it wouldn’t have taken me seven or eight years to get here. I will say though that in comparison to a lot of people, I still live in Mumbai and have a home there, have a roof over my head and food on my plate, and that is a huge, huge privilege. I’ve met actors along the way who hustle without even having these things. Everyone has their own journey and I don’t think we can dismiss anyone’s struggle only based on one aspect.
And do you hold Hollywood aspirations? Are you looking forward to potentially expanding your base?
For sure. At some point, yes, most definitely. For now, I would love to build my equity in Bollywood, especially because I’m so new. When I’m ready to test uncharted waters, there are already so many Indian celebrities who are making it easy for us. [Singer and actor] Diljit Dosanjh was just on Jimmy Fallon. He was unapologetically Indian. He showed us where you can reach if you are rooted, and proud of your culture. I really hope that I get to do that as well. Whether Hollywood or Bollywood, I am excited to land author-backed roles. I want roles that change the story, whether big or small, like my character in [recent Netflix release] Maharaj. I would love to be part of a Greta Gerwig film someday actually. Why not? The way she writes women is just incredible, she portrays them in all their glory. I see films like Little Women or Barbie and feel so inspired. If they can do that, then I think that there’s a responsibility that lies with us as well for a future generation.
