Shreya Chaudhary Instagram – “Growing up, movies meant going to the theaters with family, dancing to songs with cousins…or dressing up as the scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz, Jassi from Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi, Charlie Chaplin for fancy dress competitions. But I’d never thought of becoming an actor.
In fact, all my dreams were very far from it. By the time I was in college, I wanted to be the next Piyush Pandey.
But in my 2nd year, a friend asked me, ‘Ad film karogi?’ I saw no harm in it, so I went in to audition. It was for Pepsi. And right from the moment they said ‘Action’ to the moment they said, ‘Cut,’ I had transformed into someone else…So when a few days later, I got the call, ‘You got the role,’ I was over the moon.
After that, one ad film followed another… Pepsi, Ponds, Lakme, it was all happening so fast. Kab college khatam hua, I couldn’t tell.
And amid all that, I found my calling— I wanted to be an actress. So I spoke to people in the industry & made myself visible. And in one such event, when I was talking to Anand Tiwari, he said, ‘I’m developing something, you should audition for it.’ So I went in to audition a few weeks later. Thus began my journey as Tamanna from Bandish Bandits. But when the reviews started rolling in, it was unbelievable. I got a text from THE Naseerudin Shah. He said, ‘Beta, aapne bohot badhiya kaam kiya hai.’ That day I knew, kuch toh acha kar rahi thi.
Soon I got a call for The Mehta Boys. I had the opportunity not just to share screen with the legendary Boman Irani but also be directed by him.
You know, I may have spent a decade in this industry, but I still often think about that little Shreya, the one who wanted to be so many things. Because while none of those dreams came true, something far greater happened – I found my calling. Not in the path I planned, but in a moment that felt so right, it changed everything. That’s the thing about life – you don’t always start off knowing where you’re headed. Dreams evolve. And if you’re lucky enough to recognize that moment when it comes… you just hold on, & let it lead the way.” | Posted on 11/Apr/2025 15:11:25
