The evolution of Bhumi Pednekar

Actress Bhumi Pednekar, known for her socially driven film roles, recently made her web-series debut with The Royals, co-created by Rangita and Ishita Pritish Nandy. In the series, Pednekar plays the sharp, sassy and glamourous Sophia — a not-so-quiet departure from the de-glam, issue-based characters she is typically associated with.

The storyline features a dynamic between Sophia and a character played by Ishaan Khatter, set against a lavish and emotionally complex backdrop. For Pednekar, the layered relationship and stylised setting offered a new avenue to explore her dramatic range.

Pednekar reportedly said the decision to take on the role was instinct-driven. “For me, it’s more about how something makes me feel in the moment,” she noted in an interview, adding that she hopes viewers will understand why the choice made sense for her. The series also allowed Pednekar to explore a different visual and emotional palette. “It was one of the first times I truly got to play around with how I look on screen,” she said, describing the experience as refreshing and creatively liberating. Pednekar also expressed a personal connection to the role. “I have never felt this confident opening up to a character, which in turn opens up to the audience,” she said, noting that elements of Sophia reflect her own personality.

As someone who began her career as an assistant casting director with Yash Raj and has always been praised for choosing roles that challenge societal norms and bring visibility to underrepresented issues, Pednekar has walked into completely new territory with The Royals.

Her key performances include sharp and powerful roles right from her debut film, Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), in which she essayed the role of an overweight woman in an arranged marriage, earning critical acclaim for spotlighting the issue of body shaming. Over the years, she went on to work in critically acclaimed social dramas, including, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017), Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017), Lust Stories (2018), Sonchiriya (2019), Bala (2019), Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019), Badhaai Do (2022), Afwaah (2023), among others and in doing so, she's highlighted some of the most pressing issues, right from sanitation in rural India and erectile dysfunction to caste and gender oppression, lavender marriage and LGBTQ+ themes.

Interestingly, we remember the Bhumi we saw a decade ago — plump, with a 20kg weight gain for her film Dum Laga Ke Haisha… From there on, the Bhumi of today has come a long way, after an astonishing 33 kilo weight loss. "I love working at the gym. I have not attuned myself to yoga. Dumbbells keep me going every single day. I also run when I can. Diet is minus gluten and refined sugar. I am a pure vegetarian. My last meal is between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm and my first meal is at about 11 in the morning. Within an hour of waking up, I hit the gym and try to eat less carbohydrates throughout the day as that helps me with my skin and hair. I keep a good count of my macronutrients through the day including proteins, fats and carbohydrates," she had said to THE WEEK in an earlier interview. 

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