Poonam Jhawer opens up on her journey and
vicissitudes of B’town
Actress Poonam Jhawer, won over hearts with her performance in the song ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhaar” from Mohra, may have e exited from the big screen for a while, but she hasn’t bid adieu to the world of entertainment. The actress is now all set for a new film following a significant gap.
Over a media interaction she opened up on her journey, the challenges she faced in Bollywood, and her upcoming projects.
Reviewing her journey amid her films, Poonam said she stayed creatively engaged regardless receiving fewer acting offers. Adding that following her last film, Rajkumar, she didn’t do movies for a while but kept herself busy with events. For seven years, she organised the Dada Saheb Phalke Excellence Awards, which celebrated top actors. Later, produced a Marathi film Aanch, and continued creating content on social media. The offers she got for mainstream films didn’t feel right to her, and she never wanted to take up roles that didn’t resonate with her. She focused on projects that truly mattered.
She also spoke about the challenges she faced in the industry.
Saying that she was very young when started, and people liked her work, but wasn’t from the film industry. There was a lot of nepotism. If someone didn’t want to give you work, you simply wouldn’t get it. She rejected many offers that didn’t feel right, which created resistance against her Still, stayed strong and focused. Later, became the youngest female producer in the industry and continued to make films and music albums.”
Evaluating her past efforts Poonam shared memories from the sets of Rajiv Rai directorial Mohra. She added that working with Suniel Shetty, Akshay Kumar, and others was unforgettable. The role she got was significant, and very grateful to Rajiv Rai ji for giving her that landmark . She has experienced many ups and downs, but doesn’t dwell on the past. She believes in standing firm, taking opportunities as they come and staying true to herself.
Poonam also opened up about facing difficult experiences in the film industry, recalling an incident on the sets of one of her earlier films. Without naming anyone, she said she had to endure extremely unprofessional behaviour.
She has faced such situations many times in this industry, but what she experienced on Rajkumar’s set was especially disturbing. Even today, after so many years, when you finally get a film, some actresses want to take all the credit and treat others as disposable. This mindset has brought the industry down. People don’t respect those working around them. If you give someone a role, that character deserves dignity and importance,” she said.
The situation was different from the streaming world. “On OTT platforms, every character has a strong backstory and value, but in films, it’s still mostly about the hero and heroine. Everyone else is treated like ‘kooda’. That is very wrong.
She went on to add that she doesn’t want to dwell on the past. “What happened to her she has buried it. But such behaviour comes back to people. Where is the director of Rajkumar today? How long has it been since he made a film? You should never hurt anyone to move ahead in life.”
Released on December 6, 2013, Rajkumar is directed by Prabhudeva and features Sonakshi Sinha and Shahid Kapoor in lead roles. About her upcoming film Kalinka, Poonam said, “It’s not exactly a comeback, but she is doing a film after a long time. Her role is quite spiritual – playa a young, lively, and positive woman. The story is set in Uttarakhand and revolves around local beliefs and the bond between humans and nature. Her character is central to the story, helping and guiding people with her vision.”
She also spoke about another project, tentatively titled Aparajita being shot in Rajasthan. It’s inspired by real incidents and local traditions. She is confident it will make a strong impact and even win awards. She feels excited to bring this story to life
Poonam Jhawer will next be seen in Kalinka, written by Dhiraj Mishra and directed by Dharmik Hemkumar. The film is produced by Vageesh Sarswat under Filmoniya Productions.
News Edit KV Raman
