Struggle Is A Constant Companion: City Of Dreams Actor Priya Bapat

Priya Bapat's portrayal of Poornima Gaikwad in City Of Dreams has earned her high praise, solidifying her position among India's most powerful OTT  performers like Shefali Shah, Sobhita Dhulipala, Radhika Apte, and Rasika Duggal. Bapat's performance stands out for its depth and intensity, effectively capturing the intricate journey of her character in the series.

In a conversation with SheThePeople, Priya Bapat discussed her experiences breaking into the entertainment industry, the impact of her role in the Disney+ Hotstar show City Of Dreams and the evolving nature of women's representation in mainstream media and on OTT.

For the unversed, the actor began her career as a child artist and has worked in the field for a long time. When speaking about her experience in the industry, which she called amazing, she said being an actor wasn't a conscious effort, though it had given her a lot of pleasant surprises along the way.

Priya Bapat Interview

On Journey And Challenges

She said, "I started as a child actor without any intention of pursuing it professionally. It was just a hobby while I was studying economics and pursuing my post-graduation in mass media. Even though I didn't take it seriously at the time, I continued acting and appeared in TV shows and films, including Munna Bhai MBBS. After my post-graduation, I realised that, despite understanding and learning everything, what I truly missed was acting. So, I made the decision to choose acting as my profession."

Every artist encounters challenges and struggles in their journey, and Bapat highlights the stages of these struggles.

Initially, there's this hurdle of entering the industry and securing roles. As an actor grows, the struggle shifts towards accepting new challenges and exploring new roles. This requires someone to trust their abilities and offer diverse roles. The nature of the challenges changes from proving oneself as an actor to demonstrating versatility. Once you become versatile, you're constantly proving to the audience and to yourself that you still have to maintain yourself in this business and explore new possibilities. She added that it's important to note that this struggle is never-ending and remains a constant companion for any actor.

Sharing her own struggles, the actor said, "Because I've been working as a child actor in the Marathi industry and then as an actor in the Marathi industry and film industry for a long, long time, I would say it's comfortable for people to accept me as an actor and offer me roles initially. But once you reach a certain stage in your career, once you understand that now that I've done this, I want to do something different, that's when you, you know, choose one path from the three paths that you have in front of you."

She added, "I think that also happened to me when I've been giving auditions to all the big production houses for years now, but it was 2018 when my talent was finally recognised, and finally I got an opportunity from Nagesh Kukunoor (COD's director) and Hotstar, and I finally got to the City of Dreams because you need a director who will trust your ability and will give you a character that you can pull off."

Bapat revealed that even after playing a popular character in the series, the struggles did not come to an end. She expressed that the journey continued to present challenges. While the first season of the series did not receive as much appreciation as expected, the response gradually changed in the subsequent seasons. Season two marked a turning point, and in season three, the audience truly embraced the work and the season itself. Bapat acknowledges that now people recognise her as an actor, but she desires more opportunities and the trust of other directors. She aspires for more directors to have faith in her abilities.

She said, “So my struggle now is different. I want to reach out to a larger number of people—good directors, good production houses—and tell them, Listen, I'm an actor, and I can explore different possibilities. So trust me and give me that opportunity to explore new characters.”

Women's Representation On Big Screen vs OTT

Considering Bapat's character in the series, which is Poornima Gaikwad, a determined and ambitious woman who finds herself entangled in the complex world of politics and power struggles, Bapat said, "Purnima's character has made people contemplate the role of women and find motivation and inspiration in her portrayal. Also, having such impactful characters that influence society is of the utmost importance." She also added that not only in Gaikwad but also in Marathi, the kind of films that she chose always had a stronger female character.

Bapat also reflected on the current scenario of women's representation on the Big Screen versus OTT, stating that it's the writer's perception and evolving storytelling that has gradually brought about change. She recalled being deeply impacted by films like Black and admired how storytelling in cinema has shifted. She added that since then, she's been a huge fan of Rani Mukerji.

According to her, with the advent of OTT platforms, there is now a greater opportunity to tell diverse stories and explore different facets of human characteristics, including strong female characters. Bapat emphasised the importance of including women's perspectives in storytelling, highlighting their role in nurturing and shaping individuals. She expressed her admiration for the powerful characters played by Shefali Shah and appreciated the positive change in the industry.

Impact Of OTT And COD:

Sharing how OTT has impacted her and her life, the actor expressed gratitude towards OTT platforms for providing a significant opportunity, mentioning how reaching Bollywood films is a little difficult,  particularly for actors like herself who seek to transition from one industry to another and reach a broader audience.

It has become a means for me to showcase my talent, dedication, and hard work, allowing not only the nation but potentially the entire world to witness my craft.

She added, "The availability of diverse and unconventional stories on OTT platforms is liberating for both creators and viewers. It allows storytellers the freedom to share their visions, while viewers have the choice to watch what they prefer. This shift empowers storytellers to express themselves authentically and without limitations."

The actor revealed that her perspective as an actor has undergone a significant transformation through her experience on the set of City of Dreams. From reading the script to embodying the character of Purnima Gaikwad, everything has changed for her. She attributes this shift in perspective not just to the series itself but also to the impact of the director, Nagesh Kukunoor. His guidance and direction have influenced her in such a way that her approach to reading scripts and interpreting roles has been altered. This newfound perspective has allowed her to discover hidden aspects of her talent and abilities, which she credits to the guidance and support of the director.

On Upcoming Projects

She also stars in the Jio Cinema show Rafuchakkar, which is currently on air. Talking about her upcoming projects, she said she has a film titled Visfot in collaboration with T-Series and Sanjay Gupta, alongside actor Riteish Deshmukh, set for release this year. She has also worked on two other web series, expected to be released either by the end of this year or early next year. She is thrilled about these projects and believes they offer compelling characters and intriguing storylines.

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