Padmini Kolhapure is making her return to the small screen with the historical drama Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, nearly 12 years after her last major television role in Ekk Nayi Pehchaan (2013). “It doesn’t feel like a long time has passed because people still tag me about Ek Nayi Pehchaan. Social media has given longevity to all our work,” says Padmini. In an interview with us, the actress gets candid about the kind of roles that excite her now, shooting bold scenes back in the day and her niece, Shraddha Kapoor . Excerpts:

‘I’m quite impulsive about the films I do’
Padmini has appeared in only a few Hindi films in the last two decades. She was last seen in Panipat (2019). “I did Panipat because I thought it would be a great experience to work with Ashutosh Gowariker, given the kind of films he makes. Similarly, I did Phata Poster Nikhla Hero (2013), because it was centred around a mother and son. I loved working with Rajkumar Santoshi. He’s such an actor’s director,” she says.

Ask her about being choosy, and she says, “Honestly, I’m not excited about a lot of projects that come my way. I’m quite impulsive. The story has to resonate with me, and even if it turns out to be the worst decision of my life, it just has to touch me. I did a Marathi film called Prawaas (2020). I really liked the narrative and also enjoyed working with Ashok Saraf.”

‘I had my family around me when I shot bold scenes’
The conversation touches on Padmini having filmed a few bold scenes as a teenager in movies like Gehrayee (1980), Insaf Ka Tarazu (1980) and Prem Rog (1981), long before intimacy coordinators became the norm. When asked if an intimacy coordinator would have helped back then, she replies, “Maine iss baat par dhyaan bhi nahi diya. I had my family around me then. Besides, the entire unit felt like a family.” She also points out that earlier, even small gestures could spark an uproar. Recounting one such incident, she says, “People made a hue and cry over the peck I gave King Charles on his cheeks. Aur abhi toh sab kuch chal raha hai. Back then, it was considered taboo,” she says.



‘Shraddha looks and carries herself just like her mother’
Padmini also often finds herself addressing frequent comparisons to her niece, new-gen actress Shraddha Kapoor. Clarifying the resemblance, she says, “She looks like her mom, who is my sister. Shivangi and I resemble each other. In fact, at one point, we were often mistaken for twins. Now, just because I am in the public eye and Shivangi is not, people tend to think her daughter resembles me. Shraddha looks and carries herself just like her mother. Despite clarifying this so many times, people still refer to her as my daughter and say, ‘ Aapki beti bilkul aapke jaisi dikhti hai’, so I’ve started saying thank you.”

‘I am enjoying the experience of playing Raj Mata’
Padmini, who is gearing up for her TV show Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, says, “I play Raj Mata and I am enjoying the experience. The last historical character I played was in Panipat, which I enjoyed. When you wear the costumes, your demeanour changes automatically, right down to the walk.”



‘Missed working with Mr Bachchan’
Padmini was reportedly part of the original cast of Silsila (1981) alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Parveen Babi. She was replaced by Smita Patil, but the role eventually went to Jaya Bachchan. Looking back, the actress says, “One thing is for sure - I really missed out on working with Amitji. It was probably one of my biggest regrets, as I have worked with everyone else, and he is the only actor I haven’t worked with.”