Exclusive: Pragya Jaiswal on Table For Two | Balakrishna, Bollywood & Family Plans | Full Episode - video Dailymotion

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In this exclusive Table For Two full episode by Asianet News, Pragya Jaiswal shares an intimate look into her journey as a Telugu & Bollywood actress. From working with legends like Balakrishna to chasing Bollywood dreams, she opens up about career milestones, family aspirations, and personal growth.  A candid, heartfelt conversation - raw, inspiring, and relatable.  Credits: Host: Shizaa Arshad Khan Direction & Production: Gouri Prabhakar Cinematography: PK Photography HMU: Ankita Ingale Location: Blah Bombay Editors: George C Alex, Sajin Raj Editorial Head: Sunita Iyer  Subscribe and hit the bell icon for more exclusive interviews!  #TableForTwo #PragyaJaiswal #CelebInterview #Exclusive #AsianetNews #Entertainment    🔊 LIKE ➡ SHARE ➡ SUBSCRIBE  Download the Asianet News App now!  Available on Android & iOS  👉 Android:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vserv.asianet&hl=en_IN   👉 iOS:  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/asianet-news-official/id1093450032   For More Updates:  Follow us on our What's app Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va5Bq3yKwqSLSQTxam0r  English: https://newsable.asianetnews.com/  Hindi: https://hindi.asianetnews.com/  Malayalam: https://www.asianetnews.com/  Kannada: https://kannada.asianetnews.com/  Tamil: https://tamil.asianetnews.com/  Telugu: https://telugu.asianetnews.com/  Bengali: https://bangla.asianetnews.com/  Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsianetNewsa...  Follow us on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AsianetNewsEN  Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ann.newsable/  ➡ If you like our video, give us a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel to get the daily dosage of news, entertainment, sports and more.

Transcript

00:00I was actually given permission to participate in Miss India only on the condition that

00:06you go back to I go back and finish my studies no matter what the result is.

00:11Sogumal Balakrishna sir worked with him twice. I got to know that he calls you his lucky charm.

00:16Balakrishna sir is really loved and worshipped. Correct. And I did not see the phenomena of

00:22Balakrishna till I worked with him. Stark difference I would say have you felt between

00:28the Hilly cinema and the Telugu cinema. A flying bird that came to me this morning to drop a message

00:36saying that you're very keen on you know settling down starting a family maybe.

00:41I mean everybody is. I mean I would like to at some point not like urgency.

00:47So is there any dream co-starlet you have now? Somebody you would love to work with?

00:52Ranveer Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Alu Arjun.

00:56Akshay Kumar played like fans on you. Akshay sir she used to.

01:01You started with Kanche that won a national award. Yes. What was that feeling like?

01:07Was that the moment you felt like you made it or was it later in your career? Very honestly Shiza

01:13at no point of time as an actor I have ever felt like I have made it. Yeah. I've arrived. Yeah. I've never

01:21had those moments. I've only let's say have had moments of validation. Hi Pragya welcome to Table

01:29for Two by Aesha Nay. Hi Shiza lovely meeting you. Yeah lovely meeting you as well and this

01:35is a very personal interview guys because I have some sort of connection with you and it's also like

01:43a very proud moment actually you know sitting across the table from somebody who I studied with in school

01:50and although I was junior than you at that point we were in the same boarding school together

01:56and yeah I remember you as the tomboy and now you know like it feels like however much you've grown

02:05in the industry and what it's been like more than a decade I believe in this industry yeah almost a

02:10decade and it feels like a personal victory to all of us. So thank you so much I'm so so glad because

02:16I've not met anybody I think in the longest time who's from the same school. Yeah. So I have not

02:23thought about how I was a decade ago so it's really nice to just kind of go back because it's a bit

02:30nostalgic. Yeah so I remember you going from school and you went to a law school right? Yeah. And then

02:38what happened after that that you got into pageantry? So while I was in law school I was like you know law

02:45school is a bit more monotonous than regular colleges. Yeah. We had uniforms and everything

02:52so I was like you know I don't mind just having a little bit more fun. Okay. So some of the girls

03:00from law school were slightly let's say I don't know if that's the right word but rebellious. Okay. And

03:07we were like okay we want to go and participate in different college events and you know perform

03:12because we were dancers. Correct. And we found somebody who was a choreographer. So we're like

03:17we'll form a dance troupe and we'll go and you know participate because we didn't want to just study.

03:22We're like oh we'll just you know do some extracurricular activity. So that's how we started

03:26going to different college fests for you know participating in dance competitions and stuff.

03:32And that's how I think very unknowingly and not like I ever planned it but yeah very very in an unplanned

03:41organic way from dancing to modeling started. Okay. You know I was just picked up from one like

03:47from my college team. She's tall and all and she's slim. Let's just put her in the fashion show also.

03:53Okay. So randomly they put me and I won that fashion show. And then you went to Miss India?

03:58Yeah. I mean I won Miss Puna after that. That one was just some college fest. From there I won

04:03some Miss crowning glory but I was just doing it for fun. I had no plans that I have to do something.

04:09I was still like that I will become a lawyer. So probably I went to law school. Worked very hard.

04:17Scored really well. Got a really good law firm placement in Bombay. But because I had gone through so

04:24much in college already. I won like this best model in that college fest. Then I won Miss Puna.

04:31From Miss Puna I got like a wild card entry into Miss India. Now that is something I wasn't prepared

04:36for at all. I was like you are going to be a problem. Because till now parents didn't know that

04:41they were like this. They were like oh our dear, diligent, studious child is studying.

04:49Obviously they knew that I love dancing. So it's okay. I can do competitions too.

04:54But nobody took that seriously. So how did they react?

04:58They were not happy. They were very upset. They were like what did I do?

05:03They were not happy about it at all. So I had to go through my relatives and you know convince my

05:08bua that please talk to dad. Please let him you know let me participate in Miss India. Because this

05:13literally came to me in a platter like this beautiful food. It came to me. I didn't really do anything for

05:19it. I was genuinely just having fun. Okay. So yeah and then Miss India happened and obviously because I

05:26wasn't prepared for it at all. I was just in the top 10 from what I remember and I have won a few

05:30subtitles like oh I think some fresh face, dancing queen, some two three friend of the earth. I want

05:39some very these different kind of subtitles. But anyway I was actually given permission to participate in

05:46Miss India only on the condition that you go back to I go back and finish my studies no matter what the

05:55result is. So I had to there was no option and I had missed my semester that time because of Miss India.

06:01Miss India. So next time when I came next semester instead of seven exams I had like 15.

06:06Oh great. Eight from previous and seven new ones. So it was crazy. I came back but I realized after

06:13coming back from Miss India that you know. This was your calling? Possibly you know. You loved being in

06:21class. I actually do have another career option which could be a bit more fun. Yeah. So that's how I feel

06:28when I was almost finishing law. I remember my principal Shashikala Gurpur ma'am was walking with me

06:39somewhere at some point like we crossed paths and then we were just walking together. I think it was her

06:45or Anhanda we had like two principals but yeah I think it was Shashikala ma'am. She was walking with me

06:50and she just went like Tragya why are you wasting your time and I was shocked because she is one of the

07:00she was more of a stricter principal than the previous one and she was very like morals and ethics and do's

07:10and don'ts and everyone was very like a convent uh yeah she was very very strict like that but when

07:17she came to me and she said that I was like ma'am what do you mean she's like you're not I don't think

07:21you'll be happy as a continuing law I think you should you should pursue what you want so she could

07:27see what I couldn't clearly see like imagine the principal it was it was a very sorry ma'am I'm telling

07:33this story but you know she kind of confided in me that she feels that I'm made for something else

07:39and not like I wasn't doing well in law school I was doing really well I had done like seven eight

07:44internships and I had done like high I'd gone to a high court supreme court everything I did so then I

07:50was like chalo okay so then I just decided yeah maybe maybe let's give this a real shot very nice

07:57very beautiful journey actually and on that note I'm gonna serve you some beautiful sushi so this is

08:02like the blue piece tempura sushi and this is like last special grilled chicken oh with I think

08:09something with to do with citrus and all so this is since we're at Bly thought I would make you eat

08:15oh you were a wasabi fan I mean I have to okay a little bit with uh sushi okay so uh this since

08:22went to redblast so I asked the chef to like you know prepare especially the all the special dishes

08:27more is coming now but for now I am so excited now talking about all the beautiful things in life

08:33what I personally have observed about you as a person as a person as a person who comes often on

08:40camera and everything and uh what really sort of like got me very intrigued to get to know you more

08:49was the fact that you've spent a decade in this industry which you've spent this decade with a lot

08:58of dignity poise and grace thank you so much and I haven't come across a single interview a single

09:06headline a single story about you that says otherwise how nice I'm so glad and it's very

09:14important actually because uh you know like see you're an outsider you did not have that kind of

09:21exposure to the industry you're a first generation actor from a family that was not approving of this

09:25career yeah right at that point yeah I'm sure they're like more than proud now but then you come from a

09:34serene mp we come from madhya pradesh and to do all of this while like you know being dignified

09:43is something that you've achieved I feel is your biggest achievement more than your film wow I mean

09:50I don't know this is a question or a compliment but I'm taking this as a compliment this is a compliment

09:55because because for your phenomenal research people forget I'll tell you one thing people forget

10:01in the industry that there's a difference between being sensational and being um sort of like in the

10:11public eye but also doing it in a manner yeah that you know doesn't have to like sort of like uh go to

10:18war with your morals absolutely absolutely I feel it's also so much to do with our upbringing I feel

10:24now that you've said that you're from MP as well yeah you know I feel like we come from a middle

10:30class family you know we are just raised with those uh modules that you you know your do's and don'ts

10:37very well you know and no matter what happens you know the the line that you can't cross or whatever

10:44and that's for yourself I mean that's for me that's not to show anything to the world that's just for my

10:49sanity and peace of mind yeah I just wanted to always be positive and enjoy this journey uh and

10:56not be desperate and not kind of uh desperate in the sense desperate for attention desperate for

11:02for work or whatever because I was like I'll just do it in the way uh that makes me happy

11:09and that gives me joy and if that if my work stops giving me joy then what's the point because I was

11:14uh legit going to have a very flourishing career in law if I didn't switch so if I'm doing this just

11:21for passion and just for the joy of it then why not do it the way I want yeah of course of course and

11:28also one more thing uh since we're talking about you know your law firm and everything you could have

11:33chosen that part by you getting your very comfortable fat paycheck sitting a PAC but you chose a role recently

11:42playing like a pregnant ballet in dark umarad very and very not and very unconventional yeah very

11:49unconventional role so how was it like working with that prosthetic baby bum and you know working

11:55in 40 degree heat and I got to know you did your stance yourself yes you didn't have a body double yeah

12:01it wasn't so difficult also yeah so honestly like I think as actors we're always greedy for

12:08different kinds of roles and different genre of film so as an actor I wanted to just experiment and

12:16try something different because you know we actors the way we look we very quickly knowingly or

12:22unknowingly get typecasted into certain roles like people so many times have told me look at me they're

12:29like pretty girl rich girl you know yeah you come from a certain state of society with a look yeah

12:35you know yeah they look at me they're like yeah she'll fit this bill I mean no I can look like a village

12:40girl also I can look like a poor girl also so this was to break that stereotype no but not really to

12:45break it I actually when I got the role I was really slightly surprised okay pleasantly surprised

12:52so how do you even see me like this like can you actually see me like without makeup and yeah

12:58sody glam and such kind of clothes and all of that when he showed me references

13:01but you killed it in the trailer yeah so I was like so you can actually see me like this you know

13:09sometimes the directors have a vision and you just have to follow it and you have to surrender so

13:14I was like okay I feel like this is going to be a kick-ass movie yeah my pairing with Balakrishna

13:19sir was really loved and celebrated in the previous film so I felt like this is the second collaboration

13:25again a really good director and producer sounds like a kick-ass script yeah so let's do it you know

13:32because I can't be doing the same thing in every film so I think that is how I approached it and when I

13:38actually got to doing it then I realized it's far more serious because they would legit not let me put any

13:45makeup he would just come and look into my eyes the d.o.p he's like hmmm it's a little kajal

13:50I was like oh shit okay he's like it's a little mascara

13:56I was like oh god then he was like completely de-glammed so he would like completely de-glammed

14:00yeah he would come and try to and then one day because we're in we're supposed to be in desert yeah

14:05yeah of course yeah okay so dhul urni hai full dhul propellers ase oot rhae hae aank mein kastra jaha

14:10it was very difficult to sometimes say my dialogues and close up shots because there's just wind

14:17and dust because they would they would throw it on my face yeah like for it to look real yeah real so

14:22after one take he comes and he looks at my eyes he's like thoda na eyelashes may sand dal de te

14:27he's like I just thought you know if you want to try so it was really fun yeah trying something

14:47different yeah and uh exploring this character because you know it just gives you so much joy

14:53when you do something that people think you can't do and also it was a blockbuster

14:56yeah that that commercially also that was just a great bonus yeah because I was legit scared I was

15:01like abhi ek toh de-glam upar se pregnant I was like yeh kya horra hai yeh toh maineh thoda zhada

15:08different shoes ker liya so now talking about balakrishna sir like you worked with him twice right

15:14and both very good films right yes in one you played like the role of nice yes and now obviously

15:20takkumaraj um uh the rebel bandit wow I love how you're like giving the right title to my role

15:30yeah I mean come on it was very cool so now I got to know that he calls you his lucky charm now how how

15:37much truth is in that statement see I'll tell you actually the way uh telugu audience and telugu cinema

15:45works is that they truly love their films okay it's it's it's it's a culture watching movies is a

15:53part of their culture yeah every weekend the full full family will go out to watch a movie good film

16:00bad film big film small film doesn't matter this is how it works right they worship their heroes the

16:08ones that they love they love yeah and they truly respect and almost like worship yeah now what

16:17happens is balakrishna sir is really loved and worshipped correct and I did not see the phenomena

16:24of balakrishna till I worked with him so I feel like there is so much of emotions and sentiment with

16:31every actor and every film that they do that if a pairing works in a film the audience and this

16:40cumulative energy is such that they worship the pair so if one thing has worked or one movie has

16:48worked it's it's not just so thinking like that I'm not sure if he truly think things like that I think

16:53he does it is it has told me but he has also yeah yeah but you know I feel it's what this sense it's

17:00like okay these two are working together on screen so the pairing work we can we can put them together

17:05again okay yes he did mention that he thinks I'm yeah I'm a lucky champ because also I feel in a way that

17:13Aganda was pretty game-changing for all of us it's released after covid when things were so dicey

17:21nobody knew films are going to work anymore people are going to come the way they used to to theaters

17:26anymore or not yeah things were very different so when Aganda came everybody had their fingers crossed

17:32because this is an experiment yeah and it's a big film with huge budget lots of money spent in the

17:39making so correct it's it's it's really the test yeah for the whole industry of course you know

17:46directors producers everybody's betting on the film that you know it's going to work not maybe

17:50whatever so when the film worked it was really it was a it's a great victory for everybody in the

17:58industry everybody celebrated I remember Pushpa released uh two weeks after okay our film came

18:04on 2nd December Pushpa released on 17 December yeah and this industry is so like they're all supporting

18:09each other each other so Alu Arjun had come for our audio launch and he's like you know I can't wait

18:14for you all to watch this film actors go and support other people's films over there just because

18:19they want the country is like great in South India so that's what I was actually going to come to so

18:25what stark difference I would say have you felt uh between the Hindi film cinema and the Telugu cinema

18:33because you worked there there as well and recently we saw you in Kheil Kheil May also and so what what

18:39is the one difference that you see like really like if you were to be honest um see I've done such little

18:46work in Hindi that you know I don't really still know the ways I've worked in Kheil Kheil

18:51May with Akshay Kumar who's the most punctual and disciplined actor and also he's a prankster

18:58prankster is so different story but now that we're talking about differences in the industry

19:02like South they say they're very punctual and very good with their timings and all of that correct in

19:08Hindi I worked with Akshay sir who's phenomenal with his timings as well so we used to work only

19:13nine to five like South they say South work six to six Bombay works nine to nine okay kind of

19:21there is no real gap yeah here it's what they say but when I worked in Hindi for me it was still

19:28nine to five because I'm working with in an Akshay Kumar film yeah so that way I mean I feel like

19:34um the difference is only in the environment of the set because every set is different because of

19:40you know whatever the story is and whatever the director's vibe is and all of that so I feel there's

19:45no very stark difference it's it's the general difference which is usually there from film to film

19:53okay it's what I yeah fair enough but uh talking about Kheil Kheil May now your character Nena

19:59what I loved about that character was that that it was a gray character now either you villainize a

20:07person or you put them as this big superstar hero yeah we very rarely get to see character

20:13gray characters because see humans are gray right there's no black and white a person who's right

20:18at this point can also be wrong at some other point if I'm a hero in your eyes I could be a villain

20:22in somebody else's life also you never know right absolutely so how are you like are you like Nena in

20:28real life are you like that gray or are you the person who's like nay white ita white or dark ita dark

20:33I'll tell you very honestly Shiza I feel we as human beings

20:39are never truly depicted in movies you know there is a black or white or there is a gray but the truth

20:47is real characters are very hard to find in movies correct I feel like Nena was a real person like you

20:55know because we all have shades of white yeah white black and gray there's nobody who's truly just

21:00white or truly just black in this world we are all a bag full of everything yes you know in different

21:08phases of life you can be a little bit more of one shade a little bit less of the other yeah but

21:13real people real life is not like that nobody is truly black and nobody is white yeah so I feel Nena for

21:19me who is one of the most beautiful characters that I ever played because it was the most real

21:25character that we've seen on screen or the a very real character that I had to actually work very hard

21:31for okay it's just that because it's a comedy genre it looks like oh yeah the comedy is the hardest

21:39no it was the character that I feel I worked the hardest for because it was like

21:44till a point in the beginning you just feel like ah she's this ditzy girl just like whatever oh you

21:50know high society of dad taking care of everything just shoes and bags and then you realize oh no there

21:58is something else to it yeah then you realize oh no there is another story behind all of this so that's

22:03just so many layers to Nena that I was like wow this is this is going to be one of the most memorable

22:11characters for me yeah because uh I really really need to get into Nena's character to be able to

22:20portray her correctly without looking caricaturish because a character like this can totally become

22:26caricaturish also yeah and then we had performers like Tapsi and Akshay Kumar and Pradeen who everybody

22:33was on top of their game so you're like okay now you've got one chance and Nena is also a very well written

22:39character yeah I feel like like Tapsi had a very like author-backed role Nena also was really

22:44author-backed in the sense that she had so much to do in the film you just don't know every surprise

22:49is because of Nena and uh uh Summer yeah you know so they're like okay but the worst yeah worst kind of

23:00issue was this guy you know yeah yeah so she has so much to do so I thought that uh Nena's super

23:09special for me so Nena's super special for you now that's been established now let's get to the fun

23:15part of Kale Kale Kale yeah tell me some fun BTS did Akshay Kumar play like pranks on you

23:21Akshay sir she used to uh play pranks only here there a little bit but like tell us

23:28not something some stories you know some stories you know some stories you don't know

23:31one last one I don't know if you've seen Kale Kale Kale

23:33one last one there is a scene where everyone is looking at the night before the airport scene

23:39yeah before the airport so everyone is looking at the pool in the bedroom because me and him are hiding

23:44somewhere because his parents come and then uh Ami and I think Adi are hiding somewhere

23:50both of us are here both of them are there and then the parents are here and it was such a scene

23:53so we had to come to the beach we had to come out so we are coming out and these two are coming out

24:01from there and we are meeting them so he came to the beach there was a shower area in swimming pool

24:07so it was cut from there so it was cut from there and it was like sitting there and it was like a shower

24:15and I said okay sir okay I have to do it and then I said yes sir go here and I said yes sir go here

24:21then I'll go to the beach there and I said wait 5 minutes and I said okay

24:24then I let him go in and then he just said okay

24:27I put his hand out and said then he has to keep it off the carpet

24:44so these kind of things he would do if if he has been a bit of time

24:49I don't have a shoot at night. So she would do these kind of things.

24:56What about Tapsi? Like she's fun to be around.

24:58Tapsi is the sweetest girl. Really? Yeah.

25:03Tapsi and I also go a long way back. We did one. We didn't miss India together.

25:11So I know Tapsi from a really long time. So she's really a person that I know.

25:19So Tapsi and I obviously got along well also on the sets because she had been to London many times before.

25:27She is so planned that every trip, a month prior to her restaurant, lunch, dinner, like this book,

25:34where she definitely has to go. You know, this will do on this day. She knows her full calendar.

25:40So for me, it was so easy because she would just be like,

25:43We had such a blast because I would just tag along with her and her friends and like her team.

25:52So she traveled with her sister and her brothers.

25:55Shagun and Ivanya. So she always had some plans or the other and I would just be her plus one.

26:02Because I'm like, okay Tapsi, what's the plan? And she was the sweetest and kindest on set as well.

26:08You know, on set, she would be like,

26:10If you do this like this, I will do this like this. It will look more organic.

26:14So it's very nice when you have collaborative actors because then you work together on enhancing the scene.

26:21So at work, she was so helpful and so like never made me feel like,

26:26Oh, it's my first film in Hindi.

26:28Yeah. Considering that she's done so much work in Hindi already.

26:32Yeah.

26:33She is great work.

26:35Yes. She is an actor of great stature.

26:38Yes.

26:38I was like, so down to all. She's just all the time like, okay, let's do it like this.

26:43She's a girl.

26:44She's a team person. Okay.

26:46She's a team person. She's always trying to work with everybody to make everything better. Okay.

26:51So at work, she was a pure joy to work with.

26:54And outside she was like the best buddy you can have.

26:58So I, I love Taapsee and I had a blast with her.

27:01And talking about plus one, what are your plans of having a plus one in life?

27:07I have a plus one.

27:09I had like a flying bird that came to me this morning to drop a message saying that you're very keen on,

27:16you know, settling down, starting a family maybe.

27:19I mean, everybody is.

27:21I mean, I would like to at some point, not like abhi, urgency.

27:25But you know, I'm open to it.

27:27Like in your, in five years, do you see yourself married and kids and everything?

27:30Absolutely. Kids and all.

27:31Yeah, you want to become married.

27:33Suddenly, he's like a maasi right now.

27:37No, no, no. So I mean, that must have been you some experience with kids.

27:41Everything.

27:42Yeah, I'm, I'm a brand new maasi.

27:46Yeah.

27:47How has that experience been like?

27:49My sister will kill me.

27:51Come on, she's so under wraps.

27:54So, I think it's the greatest joy to see a child come in someone's life that too.

28:02If it's your sister, then it's life changing for you as well.

28:04I feel like this is the first time I had any maasi instinct.

28:09Motherly instinct.

28:10Slightly.

28:11I wanted to say motherly, but I'm like, no, no, it's not motherly meaning.

28:14But you know, I feel like that also really made me learn and grow.

28:19One month, my sister was at our place because I live with my parents and she needed mom and dad during this time.

28:26So she was at our place and then I've seen everything.

28:30And I feel like all the success and fame and money, all of that obviously is important.

28:39But definitely, I feel you need to have your own set of people and your own family as well.

28:46So at some point, yes.

28:48Yes.

28:49Of course.

28:50So we may hear the good news soon.

28:52Yeah, once God does and God are you listening.

28:55He is the deputy.

28:57Yeah.

28:58So talking about your people, like you know, do you have friends in the industry?

29:03Yes.

29:04Who are your like five closest people?

29:06Oh God, five friends.

29:08My closest ones are not five.

29:10My closest ones are a few actually.

29:13I think it's a bit unusual, but I do have friends from the industry.

29:17You know.

29:18Why is it unusual?

29:19A lot of people don't have true friends.

29:21My core, my inner circle is some of my friends are from the industry.

29:27Okay.

29:28I don't think the really core, your inner circle is never not so common that you have from the industry.

29:35So but it is, yours is from the industry.

29:37I think mine is from.

29:38Mine is this gang.

29:39It's everywhere.

29:40We are always together.

29:41Everybody knows my gang.

29:42My gang is.

29:43So Rakul, Preet is there.

29:44Rakul, Jackie, Anshuka, Lakshmi.

29:47All from the industry.

29:48Yeah.

29:49You know.

29:50And somewhere or the other.

29:51So, and who else?

29:53Kush.

29:54Kush is also from the industry.

29:55So we're like five, six friends who are friends since a while now.

30:00And we hang out often and we meet every other day.

30:03Yeah.

30:04And we make these plans and that's, that's my.

30:07Okay.

30:08These are my closest friends.

30:10So Rakul, Jackie, Anshuka, Lakshmi, Kushal.

30:13Yeah.

30:14Yeah.

30:15These are your closest people.

30:16Yeah.

30:17Okay.

30:18Tell me one more thing.

30:19One thing I'm very also like intrigued to know about.

30:21Is like, you started with Kanche.

30:24Kanche.

30:25Kanche.

30:26Kanche.

30:27Yeah.

30:28And that won a national award.

30:29Yes.

30:30What was that feeling like?

30:31Was that the moment you felt like you made it?

30:33Or was it later in your career?

30:37You know, as an actor, I feel like.

30:38I also got a film fair for that, right?

30:39For the best debut.

30:40Yes.

30:41Yes.

30:42It actually just won a state award also after 10 years.

30:44This film is just, it's just going on giving.

30:48Yeah.

30:4920 years also like when somebody says, oh, we're giving best film to your debut film.

30:54It's been a while, but sure.

30:56Yeah.

30:57So was that the point that you decided, I want to stick to this industry.

31:00Oh, I've really made it here.

31:02No, I feel like, you know, very honestly, Shiza, at no point of time as an actor, I have

31:08ever felt like he, I've made it.

31:10Yeah.

31:11I've arrived.

31:12Yeah.

31:13I've never had those moments.

31:14I've only, let's say, have had moments of validation.

31:18Hmm.

31:19I've had moments that, okay, you're on the right path.

31:22Hmm.

31:23Okay.

31:24You're doing the right thing.

31:25Okay.

31:26Now, if this film is doing well, maybe the next one will come also.

31:28Yeah.

31:29You know, hopefully something great will happen.

31:31You know, because, you know, also in our industry, immediate success is not very common.

31:38Correct.

31:39You realize much later.

31:40Yeah.

31:41Yeah.

31:42Yeah.

31:43Yeah.

31:44Yeah.

31:45So you've gone through so much in that one year.

31:47Yeah.

31:48Yeah.

31:49Yeah.

31:50Yeah.

31:51Yeah.

31:52Yeah.

31:53Yeah.

31:54I feel like I never felt like immediately, but yes, national award was a great boost.

31:59Yes.

32:00Because I remember I was, it's so funny.

32:02Oh, this I remember so vividly because I think I woke up very low that day.

32:07That's right.

32:08You know, I was not feeling fantastic.

32:09I remember I was going to Hyderabad for some regular work, not necessarily for a shoot,

32:15maybe for a shoot.

32:16I don't remember.

32:17I wasn't particularly excited that day that I remember.

32:20I was at international airport.

32:22Somehow my domestic flight was from there.

32:24Yeah.

32:25You know, you have to walk so much.

32:26Yeah.

32:27I put my phone in the bag that up to the gate, I have to trek.

32:32Yeah.

32:33You know.

32:34In those five minutes from say after security, you walk into the gate or something.

32:40I had like 100 messages on my phone.

32:43Okay.

32:44I had like 100 notifications, 30 on Twitter, 30, 40 on Instagram, 20 messages, you know,

32:51like everything.

32:52Like that just removed like 200 notifications, something like that.

32:58And I was like, what just happened?

33:00And then I see so many messages in like 10 to 15 minutes, lots of messages.

33:05And you know, Twitter, a lot of PR people will tag and like multiple different handles

33:09will tag.

33:10Twitter, hundreds of handles will tag.

33:12You know, X by the way.

33:13Yeah.

33:14Now X.

33:15Now X.

33:16So like that.

33:17So I remember that immediately I had a spring in my step.

33:19I'm like, oh, national award.

33:21Did you have like Miss India walk on that?

33:23On that?

33:24On that?

33:25Yeah.

33:26I was like, oh, national award for the first minute.

33:27Not bad for you.

33:28Yeah.

33:29In this first family, who has a national award?

33:30Yeah.

33:31I mean, then you're like, yeah, something is fine.

33:32Like me.

33:33And how's the family like your parents, they feel proud now?

33:34Yeah.

33:35Yeah.

33:36Yeah.

33:37They're very happy.

33:38They're very proud.

33:39Very supportive.

33:40Same with you like you mentioned.

33:41Yes.

33:42They live in Bombay now.

33:43I mean, post COVID they moved to Bombay because obviously things were so uncertain.

33:45And I was also like, you know, I lived in a boarding school in my childhood and then went to Pune.

33:59So I actually never lived with my family.

34:02I didn't grow up with them.

34:03I grew up in a boarding school.

34:04So I was like, actually, I never lived with them all my life growing up.

34:09And now that I'm working here, I'm living alone.

34:11They are living alone.

34:12And my dad's retired now.

34:14So I was like, you know, this is the only time that we actually have to live together.

34:17Because let's say someday I get married and you know, then I'll be in another house altogether again.

34:23So I'm like, I just want to make the best use of this time.

34:26You know, I love the fact that you're such a homely kind of a person.

34:31Homely.

34:32Yeah, homely.

34:33Like, you know.

34:34Yeah.

34:35No, no, no.

34:36I really love staying with them.

34:37Yeah.

34:38So I mean, it's a very, because most actors, they mostly move out of their parents' house.

34:41Like you stay with your parents.

34:42That's a very good thing.

34:44Okay.

34:45So I mean, this game spills the sparkle because you're so sparkly.

34:50So just spill it like confetti.

34:52Okay.

34:53I love the word sparkle.

34:54So I'm ready for it.

34:55Yeah.

34:56Okay, cool.

34:57Okay.

34:58Bollywood role that you saw and thought that that should have been mine.

35:03So many roles.

35:04Yeah.

35:05Right now.

35:06Right now I'm currently obsessing over Sayara.

35:08All the songs and trailer and teaser.

35:10I'm like, as you know, you just feel that intense love story.

35:15So I would love to do a film like that.

35:17Yeah.

35:18Kosta who surprised you the most on and on camera?

35:24Balakrishna sir.

35:25Because I feel like he's a true force of nature.

35:28On camera, I mean, I've seen him work in the toughest of weather conditions.

35:33Chahe wo baarish ho, dhoop ho, garmi ho, cold ho.

35:37I think he's weatherproof.

35:39Oh.

35:40People are throwing in the take and throwing like fireballs on his face.

35:44Like sparks are like on his face and he doesn't even blink.

35:48When you see a performance like that, you feel like this person is like weather, nature,

35:53catastrophe proof.

35:54Oh wow.

35:55So that is how he surprised me because so many instances in the two films that I've done.

35:59Once we went to Chennai's shooting in a temple premises where you have to obviously remove your footwear outside.

36:04And the inside was rocks.

36:07Like rock surface.

36:08Okay, so it really hurt your feet.

36:09No, it was burning.

36:11We could put our foot.

36:13We could take socks walks and take take.

36:16Somehow one, two minutes and run back in the shape.

36:19Correct.

36:20Sir would just walk.

36:22And we could not even like touch like with our toe like we couldn't even touch because it was legit burning.

36:27Yeah.

36:28And he would just walk.

36:29It's so comfortable for him.

36:31Yeah.

36:32So that's very surprising.

36:33So I feel like it's very surprising to see some actors the way they deal with certain weather conditions.

36:39Because it's not normal.

36:40It's not human.

36:41It's not human.

36:42It's beyond human.

36:43Yeah.

36:44What I saw.

36:45So is there any dream co-star that you have now, somebody you would love to work with?

36:50I have a few.

36:51Okay.

36:52Ranbir Kapoor.

36:53Oh, okay.

36:54Ranbir Singh.

36:55Allu Arjun.

36:56One Tollywood heroine you'd love to swap lives with for a day.

37:03One Tollywood actress I wouldn't like to swap my life with anyone.

37:07Okay.

37:08I feel like I'm really living the life of my dreams.

37:11I'm doing everything that I truly love.

37:13Even if I'm curious about somebody's life, I don't think I ever want to swap my life.

37:17Okay.

37:18Who are you curious about?

37:19Anybody.

37:20No, I'm just saying even if you sometimes may get curious about somebody a little bit here

37:23or there, I will not want to swap my life with anybody.

37:26Okay.

37:27Okay.

37:28Who do you secretly think is the most underrated actor, whether it's in Hindi cinema, in Delhi,

37:33Tamil, wherever?

37:36That you know, who's a great actor, but somehow their potential has not come out yet.

37:41Hasn't been discovered.

37:46There are so many actors who are supremely talented.

37:49So, I mean, there's nobody who's coming to my mind immediately like that.

37:53Because I feel like so many of the actors who weren't getting credit till a point

37:58are now getting credit and they are famous.

38:01Like you know, so many actors like Vikrant Massey is fantastic, but he is already doing so well.

38:07Vikki, Kaushala is doing phenomenal.

38:09Look at Avinash Navari, look at Abhay Verma.

38:12Yes.

38:13Rajkumar Rao.

38:14Rajkumar Rao is where I actually went to begin this with.

38:17You know, but also Dulkar Salman in the South, you know, I always thought he was so talented,

38:21but finally he's there.

38:23Yeah.

38:24You know, so everyone's getting their dues.

38:25I love how you're so happy about like, you know, when you're naming these people.

38:29Like how you say in South, you have such good camera.

38:31No, but I'm talking about like everybody.

38:33I've taken more Hindi names.

38:34Hindi names.

38:35Yeah.

38:36But still, you know, I just feel happy for people who are talented and hardworking when they

38:41finally get their dues.

38:42Okay.

38:43Who's the most fun person to sit next to at an award show?

38:49Because I know they can get like a little boring and yeah.

38:53Fun person at an award show, I mean, if you're sitting next to a friend, that's the best.

38:57So who would it be?

38:58Like, let's say.

38:59I actually, I've never really sat with friends.

39:02I just realized in an award show, but sitting next to Akshay sir would be a lot of fun.

39:10I think.

39:11Okay.

39:12Sitting next to Akshay sir or anybody from actually Khel Khel mein.

39:15Oh.

39:16Mostly.

39:17Most of the guys.

39:18It's like super fun.

39:19Akshay sir, Ami, Adi, Fardeen.

39:22All of them.

39:23Boys.

39:24I think boys are way more fun.

39:26Okay.

39:27Okay.

39:28So what's your go-to guilty pleasure food after pack-up?

39:31Guilty pleasure?

39:33Food after pack-up?

39:35After pack-up I usually have dinner because I mainly shoot for films in the south which

39:40finish by 6, 6.30.

39:41So 7, 7.30 is my dinner.

39:44But guilty pleasure, like I have a sweet tooth.

39:47Sweet tooth.

39:48So I like to indulge once in a while on something sweet.

39:52Okay.

39:53Okay.

39:54Very cool.

39:55What is the last thing you google before this interview?

40:00Blah menu.

40:01Blah menu.

40:02See blah is great food.

40:04Okay.

40:05Okay.

40:06Anyway.

40:07Your emergency excuse when you want to get out of a social event.

40:10What is the one thing that always works?

40:12Social event?

40:13Any event.

40:14Any event.

40:15That you're not available.

40:16You're busy.

40:17Okay.

40:18You're caught up with something else.

40:19Yeah, yeah, yeah.

40:20Okay.

40:21If you're busy unavailable then you're unavailable.

40:22You don't even need.

40:23Okay.

40:24Okay.

40:25So one scene or role that made you go, oh, I really outdid myself here.

40:28I think my performance in.

40:29Okay.

40:30There's too many now.

40:31I really loved myself in Kanchi.

40:32Kanchi.

40:33Kanchi.

40:34Your debut.

40:35Yeah.

40:36My debut.

40:37I thought I looked so pretty.

40:38That's why you got so well.

40:39That's why you got so well.

40:40Best debut also right.

40:41I think Kanchi was one of my finest performances.

40:44Then I think Akhanda really took me by surprise very honestly.

40:59Yeah.

41:00Kanchi was at least expected because I knew what I'm doing in the film and everything.

41:05So Akhanda was a bit of a surprise because I have so much of screen time and I actually

41:11have two, three different shades in Akhanda as well.

41:14Yes.

41:15So I was very pleasantly surprised that I'm actually there so much in the film personally

41:20and secondly, I'm taking the movie forward and thirdly, I've actually done well in all

41:25of those different parts.

41:26Correct.

41:27Like from the IAS part to being a mother to finally being like this person who escapes

41:32all the issues and fighting for the child and all of that.

41:34So I felt like Akhanda was-

41:36Like it was a dynamic role, multi-dynamic role.

41:39Yeah.

41:40Yeah.

41:41So I think Akhanda surprised me the most.

41:42Jaku also like you knew what you were getting into.

41:44Yeah.

41:45But Akhanda was a bit of a surprise.

41:46Okay.

41:47Okay.

41:48If you could steal one quality from any other person in this industry, what would it be

41:53and who would it be from?

41:55I would want to steal punctuality from Rakul.

42:00Okay.

42:01Because she's somebody who is so like-

42:03On time.

42:04On time and supremely productive and so-

42:07Wow.

42:08Disciplined.

42:09So disciplined I would want to steal from Rakul.

42:11Okay.

42:12Lovely.

42:13That discipline is inspiring.

42:14Okay.

42:15So who in this industry do you stalk the most on Instagram?

42:18There's no one person.

42:19I stalk everybody.

42:20Everybody just comes.

42:21Okay.

42:22I don't specifically go and stalk anybody.

42:24Okay.

42:25Have you ever dated-

42:26I just know what everybody's up to.

42:28Okay.

42:29So have you ever dated or almost dated somebody from the industry?

42:33You don't have to take names.

42:34But-

42:35Yeah.

42:36Yeah?

42:37Okay.

42:38Okay.

42:39A role you were offered but turned down and now regret.

42:43Would you want to disclose that?

42:44I'm not sure if I regret but I have turned down some really really-

42:47Good roles.

42:48Good ones also.

42:49Which later became better because when they were offered to me they weren't so impactful

42:53or so well written and then later they were-

42:57But you know that's the thing with our films.

43:01So many times the characters sometimes become better in execution and sometimes they become worse.

43:06Yeah.

43:07So it's a-

43:08Yeah.

43:09What do you call it?

43:10It's a-

43:11I mean it's a tough call at the end of the day.

43:14Yeah.

43:15Yeah.

43:16It's a tricky place.

43:17Tricky decision.

43:18Because you just have to go with your gut and see what's working for you.

43:20But yes a couple of films that I rejected were like-

43:23Could have been good.

43:25Okay.

43:26What's one secret that your fans would be shocked to know about you?

43:30I think my fans know that I'm a big foodie.

43:36Okay.

43:37Yeah.

43:38So I'm- because the way I look, I look like-

43:40Oh she must be so like-

43:41Yeah.

43:42But I'm a big foodie and I love food and I pretty much eat everything in moderation obviously.

43:49But possibly that.

43:51Yeah.

43:52Okay.

43:53Cool.

43:54One director who intimidates you but you'd work with in a heartbeat.

43:57I would work with in a heartbeat.

43:58Yeah.

43:59Oh Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

44:00Oh my god.

44:01Like of course.

44:02Why does everybody take his name?

44:04Yeah.

44:05Because he-

44:06And S.S. Rajmolli.

44:07Rajmolli.

44:08Now I would want to work with Rajmolli sir.

44:10S.S. Rajmolli sir.

44:11Sanjay Leela Bhansali sir.

44:13So many actors.

44:14Yeah.

44:15Yeah.

44:16Actors, directors.

44:17Directors.

44:18Yeah.

44:19What was made on your love life?

44:21What would it be called?

44:22On my love life.

44:23On your love life.

44:24Oh ho.

44:25Pir sigana donna padeka.

44:26A movie made on my love life.

44:29I did it again.

44:30Britney Spears.

44:31Wow.

44:32I'm answering that.

44:33Yeah.

44:34Because you're such a pro na.

44:36You know all of these songs sir.

44:38Har situation ke lehe there's a song.

44:40Okay.

44:41Now.

44:42Have you ever lied during your media interview to avoid controversy?

44:46Lied?

44:47Yeah lied.

44:48I don't think I really lie.

44:50No.

44:51I just refuse to answer.

44:54I mean if something is uncomfortable but I don't lie.

44:57Okay.

44:58Has any of your co-stars slid into your DMs with something unexpected?

45:04No never.

45:05Never.

45:06Last question.

45:07What's the most random or most hilarious DM of an encounter you've had?

45:12Most hilarious?

45:13Yeah hilarious or like you know like fun or something that is worth remembering.

45:17Maybe emotional.

45:18Actually I feel there are two.

45:19Right after Akhanda I remember.

45:20Right after Kanche I remember when I'd gone for my first store opening in the south it's a really big thing.

45:32So I remember people had come to me like two three women have come to me crying and they just touched me and they started crying that we can't believe you're real.

45:42You know and we love you so much.

45:44So I think when I saw people with tears in their eyes and not boys these are girls who were just like you know we love you and we've loved you in the film and we love your work.

45:54I feel these are also moments of validation like you know what I said about awards.

45:59It's almost the same feeling when you see that real love from people.

46:04And you get that kind of like warmth and validation from real people.

46:08Yeah that was my first experience after country so that was super special.

46:12I'll never forget that opening when these girls were just crying two three of them they just wanted to hold and they just wanted to shake hands.

46:18And they were just so thrilled with just shaking hands that I suddenly felt like oh I'm somebody I've done something right in my life.

46:27And people feel like that about me like so that was the first time and then I feel very this is I don't think this is just anything emotional or anything.

46:37That was surreal for you.

46:39Yeah that was really surreal.

46:41The second one is fully different like second one I remember when after Akhanta I went for the first row opening.

46:46I was in a smaller town in Antra or Tilakar I don't remember which one exactly but that was the first time I saw like an ocean of people.

46:58Okay.

46:59And that was just me you know all the other places I'm probably going with the Palakrishnasar or with the team so you know that they are coming for the whole gang.

47:09This one event was just my solo.

47:12Me alone Shrikakulam oh god I remember.

47:16That was the city.

47:17That's the town Shrikakulam.

47:19I remember I've gone on stage and Til wherever my eyes can reach there are just people.

47:26Like if I see a building toh uski boundary wall pe loog khad hai hai.

47:30If it's a terrace then on the terrace.

47:32Til wherever my eyes could go.

47:35Wow.

47:36There's a shop then on top of the shop and outside the shop and in the shop and on the market.

47:41That has been phenomenal.

47:42It was just everywhere like wherever.

47:45From behind.

47:46A sea of people.

47:47I had never seen something like that so that honestly got me a bit like.

47:51Like the magnanimity of it.

47:52Yeah the magnanimity of it I was just like.

47:55Yeah.

47:56Like this is also possible.

47:58You know Praga it's been great having you on Table for Doom.

48:02And before we part ways I just want you to sort of like ask you one last thing and that is that if you could go back in time.

48:11Hmm.

48:12And tell your 18 year old self.

48:14Hmm.

48:15Who I happen to see personally as this tomboy and you know not the Praga Jaiswal that is right now.

48:23What would you tell him now?

48:24If there is one piece of advice you could give up.

48:28I would tell the 18 year old Praga to just chill.

48:34You know everything has a habit of falling in place and you don't have to go so crazy trying to control.

48:40I think I am a bit of a control free.

48:42I want everything in order a certain way certain time place all of that.

48:47And I take a lot of stress trying to get things in place.

48:50So I feel I would just tell the younger Praga to just take it easy because things just fall in place anyway.

48:56How sweet.

48:57How lovely.

48:58On that note we are going to finish the dessert.

49:00And that's a wrap guys.

49:01Thank you so much for being here.

49:03Yeah.

49:04That's good.

49:05Too much for me.

49:07Yeah.

49:10We'll see you next time.

Exclusive: Pragya Jaiswal on Table For Two | Balakrishna, Bollywood & Family Plans | Full Episode

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