'I don't know when, but I definitely want to see myself there -- maybe doing some action sequences.'
Behind Sanvikaa's effortless smile lies a journey marked by grit, quiet rebellion and an unshakable spirit.
In the second part of her candid conversation with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff, the Panchayat actor takes us back to her uncertain early days in Mumbai, when six girls shared a one-bedroom apartment and had to sleep on the floor, and how she survived the city's crushing costs.
Unburdened by overthinking, Sanvikaa says she plunged into acting auditions without the fear of rejection, a naivete she now considers her biggest blessing.
Now, with a growing fan base and ambitious dreams of leading women-centric films, she stands as proof that small-town girls with big-city courage can turn quiet gambles into life-changing victories.
"I'm always cautious because anything can happen, so I didn't allow myself to get too excited."
Was the move to Mumbai easy?
I tried very hard to move to Bombay but nothing was working out.
Looking back, I think it was just a matter of timing.
My parents were actually ready to send me to Bombay then, though not for acting -- it was for a design course.
But somehow, things kept falling through.
We tried multiple times to catch a train from the station, but every train to Bombay ended up getting cancelled!
We thought of taking a bus instead but then my sister called and asked, 'Why do you want to do this? You already have a good career in engineering, stick with that.'
I got very angry after that conversation.
I just wanted to get out, so I made an excuse to my parents, telling them that I was thinking of taking up a job in Bangalore. They agreed. So I went to Bangalore, fully aware that I wasn't going there to work.
You actually went to Bengaluru in search of a job?
It wasn't about finding a job, that was just an excuse.
I stayed in Bangalore for three or four months. After that, without telling my parents, I moved to Bombay.
My parents, especially my mother, tends to overthink a lot.
I didn't want to trouble her unnecessarily, so I managed everything on my own.
Two months later, I told her I was in Bombay.
I asked her not to tell Papa because I thought he wouldn't agree with my decision. But to my surprise, he was very supportive.
Though he would still send me news about job vacancies, reminding me this line (a career in the Hindi film industry as an actor) is uncertain and suggesting I keep my options open, both of them supported me in every way they could.
Did it never cross your mind that what if it does not work out in the film industry? Did you have a plan B?
I didn't think too much.
I just made the decision (to move to Mumbai).
If I had stopped to consider everything, I probably wouldn't have done it at all.
Honestly, I'm glad I didn't know much about the industry back then. I didn't realise how long it takes to meet the right people, give countless auditions, and wait for things to actually work out.
It all felt like an adventure, and I enjoyed the whole process.
Your real name is Pooja Singh. Why did you switch to Sanvikaa? Watch the video to hear the answer.
How financially tough is it to survive in the early years of acting? How much rent were you paying?
When I first moved to Bombay in 2016, I was paying Rs 6,000 as my share of the rent.
We were six girls sharing a one BHK apartment with absolutely no furniture. We had our own chadars, and would sleep side by side with our bags kept neatly next to us.
We lived like that for a long time, managing the bills the same way -- everything was divided.
Bombay is an expensive city, but it's also a place that fills you with hope. The key is to meet the right people and steer clear of negativity.
I've always kept my circle very positive and supportive. That's why my flat-mates from back then are still some of my closest friends. We still hang out together.
How did Panchayat happen? How did you progress from a small role to a full-fledged character?
It happened quite by chance.
I gave the audition, but it was really a stroke of luck that I even met the casting person -- he just happened to see me and asked me to audition.
I went in without any baggage or expectation of being selected because honestly, I had already self-rejected in my mind.
You self-rejected yourself...
Yeah, the moment he said it was for TVF (the production house The Viral Fever) and that I'd be acting opposite him (Jitendra Kumar), I was like, 'Oh my God!'
I've been following TVF since my college days and absolutely love their content.
So I had no baggage at all because I had already self-rejected myself in my head. My audition went well, but I didn't expect a callback.
A few days later, when I got the confirmation call, I was shocked. Still, I didn't celebrate, because I thought, 'It's just production calling. I only have a one-week contract.'
For me, it was 50-50. It could either turn into a big role, or there was a chance I might not be in the show at all, since my part came right at the end and could easily have been edited out.
I'm always cautious because anything can happen, so I didn't allow myself to get too excited.
But since the character was introduced with a hook at the end, there was also a possibility it could grow in the later seasons.
Honestly, I didn't think too much about it then. My only thought was, 'I'll earn some money and pay my rent. That's it. My one month's rent is sorted.'
What are you working on now?
I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to reveal too much. I believe that until your project is out, it's better not to talk about it.
I'm always a little afraid of the editing table -- you never know if your part will even make it.
I've seen friends who've worked for 40, 50 days on something, completely excited that it would change their lives, only to find out later that it didn't even make the final cut.
Even my mother advises me not to share too much about what I'm doing or what I'm planning next. When the time is right, that's when I'll speak about it.
Right now, I'm working on two projects, maybe more. But I'll definitely talk about them when the moment is right.
If you could design the dream role in any genre, what would it look like?
I want to do women-centric films.
Hopefully, one day, I'll be on the big screen. I don't know when, but I definitely want to see myself there -- maybe doing some action sequences.
A life-changing moment for me was when I watched NH 10, Anushka Sharma's film. I thought it was brilliant, and it left a deep impact on me.
At the time, I was in college and doing theatre, so I watched it with a different perspective, not just as an audience member, but as someone observing the acting, the story, the graph of the character.
The way Anushka Sharma performed, the strength of the character, that's the kind of zone I'd love to explore.
