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

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

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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. Sogumar Balakrishna

00:12sir worked with him twice. I got to know that he calls you his lucky charm. Balakrishna sir is

00:17really loved and worshipped. Correct. And I did not see the phenomena of Balakrishna till I worked

00:23with it. Stark difference I would say have you felt between the Hindi cinema and the Telugu cinema?

00:32Flying bird that came to me this morning to drop a message saying that you're very keen on you know

00:38settling down starting a family maybe. I mean everybody is I mean I would like to at some point

00:45not like abhi urgency. So is there any dream co-star that you have now somebody you would love to work with?

00:51Ranveer Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Alu Arjun. Did Akshay Kumar play like fans on you? Akshay sir he used to

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

01:08you felt like you made it or was it later in your career? Very honestly Shiza at no point of time as an

01:15actor I have ever felt like I have made it. Yeah. I have arrived. Yeah. I have never had those moments.

01:23I have only let's say have had moments of validation. Hi Pragya, welcome to Table for Two by Aesha Nair.

01:31Hi Shiza, lovely meeting you. Yeah, lovely meeting you as well and this is a very personal interview guys

01:37because I have some sort of connection with you and it's also like a very proud moment actually you

01:45know sitting across the table from somebody who I studied with in school and although I was junior

01:52than you at that point we were in the same boarding school together and yeah I remember you as the

01:59tomboy. And now you know like it feels like however much you've grown in the industry and

02:06what it's been like more than a decade I believe in this industry. Yeah almost a decade and it feels

02:12like a personal victory to all of us. So sweet. Thank you so much. I'm so so glad because I've not

02:17met anybody I think in the longest time who's from the same school. Yeah. So I have not thought about

02:24how I was a decade ago so it's really nice to just kind of go back because it's a bit nostalgic. Yeah

02:31so I remember you going from school and you went to law school right? Yes. And then what happened after

02:39that that you got into pageantry? So while I was in law school I was like you know law school is a bit

02:46more monotonous than regular colleges. Yeah. We had uniforms and everything so I was like you know

02:53I don't mind just having a little bit more fun. So some of the girls from law school were

03:02slightly let's say I don't know if that's the right word but rebellious and we were like okay

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

03:14and one of we found was somebody who was a choreographer so we're like we'll form a dance troupe and

03:19we'll go and you know participate because we didn't want to just study we're like oh we'll just you

03:23know do some extracurricular activity. So that's how we started going to different college fests for you

03:28know participating in dance competitions and stuff and that's how I think very unknowingly and not like

03:37I ever planned it but yeah very very in an unplanned organic way from dancing to modelling started. Okay. You know I was just

03:45picked up from one like from my college team. So she's tall and all and she's slim. Let's just put her

03:51in the fashion show also. Okay. So randomly they put me and I won that fashion show. And then you went to Miss

03:57India. I went I won Miss Puna after that. That one was just some college fest. From there I won some Miss

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

04:10I'll become a lawyer. So properly I went to law school. Worked very hard. Scored really well. Got a really good

04:20law firm placement in Bombay. But because I had gone through so much in college already. I won like this

04:28best model in that college fest. Then I won Miss Puna. From Miss Puna I got like a wild card entry into Miss

04:34India. Now that is something I wasn't prepared for at all. I was like up to problem because till now

04:40parents didn't know that everything was going to happen. They were like oh our dear

04:46diligent students studying students. Obviously they knew that I love dancing. So okay

04:52I can do competitions too. But nobody took that seriously. How did they react?

04:58Because they 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. So yeah and then Miss India happened and obviously because I wasn't

05:26prepared for it at all. I was just in the top 10 from what I remember and I won a few subtitles like

05:32oh I think some fresh face, dancing queen, some two three friend of the earth. I won some very

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

05:48only on the condition that you go back to I go back and finish my studies no matter what the result is.

05:55Oh. 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 god. 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

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

06:29I was almost finishing law. I remember my principal Shashikala Gurpur ma'am was walking with me somewhere

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

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

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

06:59uh she was more of a stricter principal than the previous one and she was very like morals and ethics and

07:09do's and 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

07:21I don't think you'll be happy as a continuing law I think you should you should pursue what you want

07:26so she could see what I couldn't clearly see like imagine the principle of her lawsuit it was a very

07:32sorry ma'am I'm telling this story but you know she kind of confided in me that she feels that I'm

07:38made for something else okay and not like I wasn't doing well in law school I'm doing really well I

07:42had done like seven eight internships and I had done like hi I'd gone to a high court supreme court

07:48everything I had done so then I was like chalo okay so then I just decided yeah maybe maybe let's

07:54give this a real shot very nice very beautiful journey actually and on that note I'm going to serve

08:00you some beautiful sushi so this is like the Bupi sushi tempura sushi and this is like last special

08:07grilled chicken oh with I think something with to do with citrus and all so this is I thought I

08:14would make you eat oh you were a wasabi fan I mean I have to okay a little bit with the sushi okay so

08:22since I asked the chef to like you know prepare especially the all the special dishes more is

08:28coming 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 of

08:58dignity 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 important

09:15actually because uh you know like see you're an outsider you did not have that kind of exposure to

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

09:26yeah 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

09:48more than your film wow I mean I don't know this is a question or a compliment but I'm taking this

09:53as a compliment so thank you for your phenomenal research people forget I'll tell you one thing

09:59people forget in the industry that there's a difference between being sensational and

10:08being um sort of like in the public eye but also doing it in a manner

10:14that you know doesn't have to like sort of like uh go to war with your morals absolutely absolutely

10:21I feel it's also so much to do with our upbringing I feel Shiza now that you've said that you're from MP

10:26as well yeah you know I feel like we come from a middle class family you know we are just raised with

10:32those uh morals that you you know your do's and don'ts very well you know and no matter what happens

10:41you know the line that you can't cross or whatever and that's for yourself I mean that's for me that's

10:47not to show anything to the world that's just for my sanity and peace of mind yeah I just wanted to

10:52always be positive and enjoy this journey uh and not be desperate and not kind of uh desperate in the

10:59sense desperate for attention desperate for for work or whatever because I was like I'll just do it in the

11:05way uh that makes me happy and that gives me joy and if that if my work stops giving me joy then what's

11:13the point because I was uh legit going to have a very flourishing career in law if I didn't switch

11:20so if I'm doing this just for passion and just for the joy of it then why not do it the way I want yeah

11:27of course of course and also one more thing uh since we're talking about you know your law firm and

11:32everything you could have chosen that path by getting your very comfortable fat paycheck sitting in BAC

11:39but you chose a role recently playing like a pregnant bandit in Dhaku Maharaj very very not

11:47and very unconventional yeah very unconventional role so how was it like working with that prosthetic

11:52baby bump and you know working in 40 degree heat and I've got to know you did your stunts yourself

11:58yes you didn't have a body double yeah because it wasn't so difficult also yeah so honestly like

12:05I think as actors we're always greedy for different kinds of roles and different genre of film so as an

12:13actor I wanted to just experiment and try something different because you know we actors the way we

12:20look we very quickly knowingly or unknowingly get typecasted into certain roles like people so

12:27many times I've told me they look at me they're like pretty girl rich girl you know yeah you come

12:32from a certain state of society with a look yeah you know yeah they look at me they're like

12:37yeah she'll fit this bill I mean no I can look like a village girl also I can look like a poor girl also

12:43so this was to break that statement no but not really to break it I actually when I got the role I was

12:48really slightly surprised okay pleasantly surprised that sir how do you even see me like this like can

12:54you actually see me like without makeup and yeah so de glam and such kind of clothes and all of that

13:00when he showed me references with the director but you killed it in the trailer yeah so I was like so

13:07you can actually see me like this you know sometimes the directors have a vision and you just have to

13:12follow it and you have to surrender so I was like okay I feel like this is going to be a kick-ass movie

13:17yeah my pairing with balakrishna sir was really loved and celebrated in the previous film so I felt like

13:24this is the second collaboration again a really good director and producer sounds like a kick-ass script

13:30yeah so let's do it you know because I can't be doing the same thing in every film

13:35so I think that is how I approached it and when I actually got to doing it then I realized it's far

13:41more serious because they would legit not let me put any makeup he would just come and look at

13:47into my eyes the d.o.p he's like hmmm it's a little bit of kajal yeah I'm like oh

13:53I was like oh shit okay he's like it's a little bit of mascara and I was like oh god so he's like

13:58completely de-clamped so he would like completely de-clamped he would come and try to and then one day

14:02because we're in we're supposed to be in desert yeah okay so dhul only I have full dhul propellers

14:08ase oot rae aankh me kachara jara it was very difficult to sometimes see my dialogues and close

14:14up shots because it's just wind and dust because they would they would throw it on my face yeah

14:19like for it to look real so after one take he comes and he looks at my eyes he's like

14:25he's like I just thought you know if you want to try I'm like where isi dhul abhi hawa chalegi kya kaha chalegi

14:31so it was really fun yeah trying something different yeah and exploring this character because you know

14:51it just gives you so much joy when you do something that people think you can't do and also it was a

14:55blockbuster yeah that that commercially also that was just a great bonus because I was legit scared

15:01I was like abhi ek toh d glam upar se pregnant I was like kya horra hai ye toh maine thoda zhada

15:08different shoes kar liya so now talking about badak krishna 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 author and now obviously

15:20that kumaraj 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

15:37how much truth is in that statement let me 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 a culture watching movies is a part of

15:54their culture yeah every weekend the full full family will go out to watch a movie good film bad

16:01film big film small film doesn't matter this is how it works right they worship their heroes the ones that

16:08they love they love yeah and they truly respect and almost like worship yeah now what happens is

16:18bala krishna sir is really loved and worshipped correct and I did not see the phenomena of bala

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

16:32and 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 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's not funny but he has also yeah but you know I feel it's what they sense it's like

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

17:06okay yes he did mention that he thinks I'm yeah I'm a lucky champ because also I feel in a way that

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

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

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

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

17:39the making 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 gonna work not maybe whatever

17:51so when the film worked it was really it was a it's a great victory for everybody in the industry

17:58everybody celebrated I remember push bar released uh two weeks after okay our film came on second

18:04december push bar released on 17 december yeah and this industry is so like they're all supporting

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

18:15all to watch this film actors go and support other people's films over there just because they want

18:20the camera industry 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 khel khel me also and so what what is

18:39the 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 but kuch to i have worked in khel khel

18:51me 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

19:03like 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 saw who's phenomenal with his timings as well so we used to work only nine to

19:13five like south they say south work six to six bombay works nine to nine okay kind of there is no real

19:22gap yeah here is what they say but when I worked in hindi for me it was still nine to five because I'm

19:29working with in an akshay kumar film yeah so that way I mean I feel like um the difference is only in the

19:37environment of the set because every set is different because of you know whatever the story is and

19:42whatever the director's vibe is and all of that so I feel there's no very stark difference it's

19:49it's the general difference which is usually there from film to film okay it's what I yeah fair enough

19:55but uh talking about khel khel name yeah now your character nena what I loved about that character

20:02was that that it was a great character yeah either you villainize a person or you put them as this big

20:09superstar hero yeah we very rarely get to see character gray characters because see humans are

20:16gray right there's no black and white a person who's right at this point can also be wrong at some

20:20other point if I'm a hero in your eyes I could be a villain somebody else's life also you never know

20:25right absolutely so how are you like are you like naina in real life are you like that gray or are you the

20:30person who's like white or dark I'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

20:46but the truth is real characters are very hard to find in movies correct I feel like naina was a real

20:53person like you know because we all have shades of white white black and gray there's nobody who's

20:59truly just white or truly just black in this world we are all a bag full of everything yes you know in

21:07different phases of life you can be a little bit more of one shade a little bit less of the other yeah

21:12but real people real life is not like that nobody is truly black and nobody is white yeah so I feel naina 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 very real character that I had to actually work very hard

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

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

21:45beginning you just feel like ah she's this titsy girl just like whatever oh you know um high society

21:54everything just shoes and bags and then you realize oh no there is something else to it

21:59then you realize oh no there is another story behind all of this so that's just so many years

22:06to naina that I was like wow this is this is going to be one of the most memorable characters for me

22:12yeah because uh I really really need to get into naina's character to be able to portray her

22:22correctly without looking caricature-ish because a character like this can totally become caricature-ish

22:27also yeah and then we had performers like Tapsi and Akshay Kumar and Fardin who everybody was on top

22:34of their game so you're like okay now you've got one chance and naina is also a very well written

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

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

22:49surprise is because of naina and uh uh summer yeah you know so they're like achha sare can't this

22:55thing yeah but the worst yeah worst kind of uh issue was this guy yeah yeah so she has so much to do

23:06so I thought that uh naina's super special for me so naina's super special for you now that's been

23:13established now let's get to the fun part of KK yeah tell me some fun BTS did Akshay Kumar play like

23:19pranks on you Akshay sir she used to uh play pranks only here there little bit but like tell us

23:28something some stories you know last week

23:32And there was a scene where everyone is looking at the pool in the pool and the parents come and then Ami and Adi are hiding somewhere, both of them are there.

23:52And then the parents came and it was like a scene.

23:54So we had to come to the beach and we had to come out. So we are coming out. And these two are coming out from there and we are meeting them.

24:03So there was a shower area in the pool.

24:07So it was cut.

24:10It was cut when I was standing there. It was a shower area.

24:15And I was like, okay, okay.

24:17Then I was like, okay, okay, let me get here and go.

24:20And I said, sir, what is your hand?

24:21I said, we are going here and we will do it again and then we will do it again.

24:24And we will do it again for 5 minutes.

24:25And then we will set it again.

24:26So I said, okay.

24:28So his hand is away from him and then he has had to stop.

24:33And later he told me that I would have to do so much in the shower.

24:37But I thought that the girl has been angry and we should wait for him.

24:41So we should all meet her and do it again.

24:43So these kind of things he would do.

24:45would do. If, if they have something like that, it's not a few hours, it's not a shoot at night,

24:50then they will do it. So he would do these kind of things. What about Tapsi? Like she's fun to be around.

24:58Tapsi is the sweetest girl. Really? Yeah. Tapsi and I also go a long way back. We did one,

25:07we didn't miss India together. Yeah. So I know Tapsi from a really long time. So she's really

25:16a person that I know. So Tapsi obviously got along well also on the sets because she had been to London

25:26many times before. She is so planned that every trip, one month before her restaurant, lunch,

25:32dinner, aise book karke rakhti hai. Jaha usko jaha pe bohat definitely jana hai. You know this we'll do on this day.

25:38She'll know her full calendar. So for me, it was so easy because she would just be like,

25:47we had such a blast because I would just tag along with her and her friends and like her team.

25:53So she traveled with her sister and her brothers. Shagun and Ivanya. So she always had some plans or

26:00the other and I would just be her plus one. I'm like, okay Tapsi, what's the plan? And she was the

26:05sweetest and kindest on set as well. You know, on set, she would be like,

26:10Prage, you have to do this like this, I will do this like this, so it'll look more organic.

26:14So it's very nice when you have collaborative actors because then you work together

26:20on enhancing the scene. So at work, she was so helpful and so like never made me feel like,

26:26Oh, it's my first film in Hindi. Considering that she's done so much work in Hindi already.

26:32Yeah. She is great work. Yes. She is an actor of great stature. So I was like, so down to

26:40all. She's just all the time like, okay, let's do it like this. She'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 and outside she was like the best buddy you can have.

26:58So I, I love Tapsi and I had a blast with her. And talking about plus one, what are your plans

27:04of having a plus one in life? I had like a flying bird that came to me this morning to drop a message

27:14saying that you're very keen on, you know, settling down, starting a family, maybe.

27:19Yeah. I mean, I would like to at some point, not like abhi, urgency. But you know,

27:25I'm open to it. Like in your, in Paris, do you see yourself married and kids and everything?

27:30Absolutely. Kids and all. Yeah, I hope so.

27:33Yeah, I'm, I'm a brand new Masi. Yeah. How has that experience been like?

27:49My sister will kill me. So under wraps. So, I think it's the greatest joy to

27:58see a child come in someone's life that too, if it's your sister, then it's life changing for you

28:04as well. I feel like this is the first time I had any Masi instinct.

28:09Motherly. Slightly. I 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. One month, my sister was at our

28:22place because I live with my parents, but she needed mom and dad during this time. So she was at our

28:27place and then I've seen everything and I feel like, uh, all the success and fame and money,

28:37all of that obviously is important, but definitely I feel you need to have your own set of people and

28:43your own, uh, family as well. So at some point, yes. Yes. Okay. Of course. So we may hear the good

28:50news soon. Yeah. Once God says that. God, are you listening? He is, he is definitely, he is. Yeah.

28:57So, um, we're talking about your people, like, you know, do you have friends in the industry?

29:03Yes. Who are your like five closest people? Oh God, five friends.

29:07I will tell you about five. My closest ones are not five.

29:10My closest ones are a few. Actually, I think it's a bit unusual, but I do have friends from the industry.

29:17You know? Why is it unusual? A lot of people don't have true friends. My core, my core, my inner circle is

29:25some of my friends are from the industry. You don't, I don't think the really core, your inner circle is

29:31never not so common that you have from the industry. So, but it is yours is from the industry. I think mine is from.

29:37My friends is gang. It's everywhere. We are always together. Everybody knows my gang. Yeah.

29:41My gang is. So, Rakul, Preet is there. Rakul, Jackie, Anshaka, Lakshmi, all from the industry. Yeah.

29:49You know? And somewhere or the other. So, um, and who else? Kush, Kush is also from the industry.

29:55So, we're like five, six friends who are, uh, friends since a while now and we, we hang out often and we

30:02meet every other day and we, we make these plans and that's, that's my, uh, okay. These are my closest

30:09friends. So, Rakul, Jackie, Anshaka, Lakshmi, Kushal. Yeah. Yeah. These are your closest people. Yeah.

30:16Okay. Uh, tell me one more thing. One thing I'm very also like intrigued to know about is like, um,

30:22you started with, um, Kanche. Kanche. Kanche. Yeah. And, uh, that won a national award. Yes. What

30:29was that feeling like? Was that the moment you felt like you've made it or what was it later in your

30:34career? You know, as an actor, I feel like. I also got a filmmaker for that, right? For the best debut.

30:40Yes. Yes. It actually just won a state award also after 10 years. This film is just, it's just going on

30:47giving. After so many years also like when somebody says, oh, we're giving best film to your debut

30:53film. It's been a while, but sure. So, was that the point that you decided, I want to stick to this

30:59industry. Oh, I've really made it here. No, I feel like, you know, very honestly, Shiza, at no point

31:05of time as an actor, I have ever felt like I've made it. Yeah. I've arrived. Yeah. I've never had those

31:13moments. I've only, let's say, have had moments of validation. I've had moments that, okay, you're on

31:20the right path. Okay. You're doing the right thing. Okay. Now, if this film is doing well, maybe the next

31:27one will come also, you know, hopefully something great will happen, you know, because, you know, also

31:33in our industry, immediate success is not very common. Correct. You realize much later that, oh,

31:41this was a good film. The film comes for the next year. So, you've gone through so much in that one

31:46year that you're like, finally, thanks, you know, thanks universe for telling me this was right.

31:52Yeah. You know, so I feel like I never felt like immediately, but yes, national award was a great

31:58boost. Yes. Because I remember I was, it's so funny. Oh, this I remember so vividly,

32:04because I think I woke up very low that day. That's right. You 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. I don't remember. I wasn't particularly excited that day that I remember.

32:20I was at international airport. Somehow my domestic flight was from there. Yeah. And you have to walk so

32:26much, you know, I put my phone in the bag, up the gate, I have to track. Yeah. And those five minutes

32:35from say, after security, you walk into the gate or something. I had like 100 messages on my phone.

32:43Okay. I had like 100 notifications, 30 on Twitter, 30, 40 on Instagram, 20 messages, you know, like

32:51everything. Like that, just removed like 200 notifications, something like that. And I was

32:58like, what just happened? And 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 will tag.

33:10Twitter, hundreds of handles will tag. X, by the way.

33:13Yeah. Now X. Now X. So like that. So I remember that immediately I had a spring in my step. I'm like,

33:19oh, national award. Did you have like Miss India walk on that, on that, on that.

33:24I tried to be for that. Yes. I had a little

33:27I was like, oh, national award for the first year. Not bad. Yeah.

33:34But this first family, who has a national award? I mean, then you're like, yeah,

33:38Chris is fine. And how's the family like, like your parents, they feel proud now?

33:44Yeah. Yeah. They're, they're very happy. They're very proud, very supportive. Stay with you,

33:47like you mentioned, right? Yes. They live in Bombay now. I mean,

33:49post COVID they moved to Bombay because obviously things were so uncertain. And I was also like,

33:54you know, I lived in a boarding school in my childhood and then went to Pune. So I actually

34:00never lived with my family. I didn't grow up with them. I grew up in a boarding school. So I was like,

34:06actually, I never lived with them all my life growing up. And now that I'm working here, I'm

34:11living alone. They are living alone. And my dad's retired now. So I was like, you know, this is the

34:15only time that we actually have to live together because let's say something I get married and you know,

34:20then I'll be in another house altogether again. So I'm like, I just want to make the best use of

34:25this time. You know, I love the fact that you're such a homely kind of a person.

34:32Yeah, no, no, no. I really love staying with them. Yeah. So I mean, it's a very,

34:38because most actors, they mostly move out of their parents' house. Like you stay with your parents.

34:42That's a very good thing. Okay. So I mean, this game spills the sparkle because you're so sparkly.

34:50Just spill it like confetti. Okay. I love the word sparkle. So I'm ready for it. Yeah. Okay,

34:55cool. Okay. So my first question is a Bollywood role that you saw and thought that that should have

35:01been mine. So many roles. Yeah. Right now, I'm currently obsessing over Sayara. All the songs

35:09and trailer and teaser. I'm like, you know, you just feel that intense love story. So I would love to

35:16do a film like that. Yeah. Costa who surprised you the most on and on camera? Balakrishna sir,

35:25because I feel like he's a true force of nature. On camera, I've seen him work in the toughest of

35:32weather conditions. I think he's weatherproof. Oh, people are throwing in the tape and throwing

35:42like fireballs on his face, like sparks are like on his face and he doesn't even blink. When you see a

35:49performance like that, you feel like this person is like weather, nature, catastrophe proof. Oh 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

36:03footwear outside and the inside was rocks, like rocks. Okay, rocks really hurt your feet. No,

36:09it was burning. We could put our foot, we could take socks walks and take take somehow one,

36:17two minutes and run back in the shape. Correct. Sir would just walk and we could not even like touch

36:23like with that toe, like we couldn't even touch because it was legit burning. Yeah. And he would

36:28just walk, you know, so comfortable for him. Yeah. So that's very surprising. So I feel like it's

36:34just very surprising to see some actors the way they deal with certain weather conditions because

36:40it's not normal. It's not human. It's beyond human. Yeah. What I saw. So is there any dream

36:45co-star that you have now, somebody you would love to work with? I have a few. Okay. Ranbir Kapoor,

36:53Ranbir Singh, Allu Arjun. One Tollywood heroine you'd love to swap lives with for today.

37:03One Tollywood actress I wouldn't like to swap my life with anyone. I feel like I'm really living the life of

37:10my dreams. I'm doing everything that I truly love. Even if I'm curious about somebody's life, I don't

37:15think I ever want to swap my life. Okay, who are you curious about? Anybody? No, I'm just saying even

37:19if you sometimes may get curious about somebody a little bit here, then I will not want to swap my

37:25life with anybody. Okay. Who do you secretly think is the most underrated actor, whether it's in Hindi

37:32cinema, in Delhi, Tamil, wherever. That you know, who's a great actor but somehow their potential has

37:40not come out yet. Hasn't been discovered. There are so many actors who are supremely talented. So I mean

37:50there's nobody who's coming to my mind immediately like that because I feel like so many of the actors

37:56who weren't getting credit till a point are now getting credit and they are famous. Like you know so

38:02many actors like Vikrant Massey is fantastic but he is already doing so well. Vicky Kaushala is doing

38:09phenomenal. Look at Avinash Dwarri, look at Abhay Varma. Yes. Rajkumar Rao is where I actually went

38:16to begin this with. You know but also Dulkar Salman in the south you know I always thought he was so

38:21talented but finally he's there. Yeah. You know so everyone's getting their dues. I love how you're so

38:26happy about like you know when you're naming these people like how you see in south you have such

38:31good camera. No but I'm talking about like everybody. I've taken more Hindi names. Hindi names. Yeah.

38:35But still you know I just feel happy for people who are talented and how they're working when they

38:40finally get their dues. Okay. Who'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. Fun person at an award show I mean if you're

38:55sitting next to a friend that's that's the best. So who would it be like let's say? I actually have

39:01never really sat with friends I just realized in an award show but sitting next to Akshay

39:09Akshay sir would be a lot of fun I think. I'm sitting next to Akshay sir or anybody from actually

39:14Khehl Khehl Me mostly. Most of the guys it's like super fun. Akshay sir, Ami, Adi, Fardeen. All of them.

39:23Boys. I think boys are way more fun. Okay so what's your go to guilty pleasure food after pack up?

39:30Guilty pleasure? Food after pack up? After pack up I usually have dinner because I mainly shoot for

39:38films in the south which finish by 6-6-30. So 7-7-30 is my dinner but guilty pleasure like I have

39:46a sweet tooth. Sweet tooth. So I like to indulge once in a while or something sweet. Okay. Okay.

39:52Thank you. Okay. Last thing you google before this interview.

40:00Blah menu. Blah menu. See blah is great food okay. Okay anyway. Your emergency excuse when you want to

40:08get out of a social event. What is the one thing that always works? Social event? Or any event.

40:14But you're not available. You're busy. Okay. You're caught up with something else. Yeah yeah yeah. If you're busy

40:20unavailable then you're unavailable. You don't even need. Okay so one scene or role that made you go

40:27oh I really outdid myself here.

40:36I think my performance in okay there's too many now. I really loved myself in Kanchi.

40:43Kanchi. Your debut. Yeah my debut. I thought I looked so pretty.

40:48That's why I got so bad. That's debut too right. I think Kanchi was one of my finest performances then.

40:57I think Akhanda really took me by surprise very honestly. Yeah. Kanchi was at least expected

41:02because I knew what I'm doing in the film and everything. Akhanda was a bit of a surprise because

41:07I have so much of screen time and I actually have two three different shades in Akhanda as well.

41:13Yes. So 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 of those

41:25different parts like 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 so I felt like Akhanda was like it was a

41:37dynamic role multi-dynamic role. Yeah. Yeah. So I think Akhanda surprised me the most. Jaku also like

41:42you knew what you were getting into. Yeah. But Akhanda was a bit of a surprise. Okay. Okay. If you could

41:48steal one quality from any other person in this industry what would it be and who would it be from?

41:54I would want to steal punctuality from Rakul. Okay. Because she's somebody who is so like on time. On

42:04time and supremely productive and so disciplined. So disciplined I would want to steal from Rakul. Okay.

42:11Lovely. That discipline is inspiring. Okay. So who in this industry do you stalk the most on Instagram?

42:18There's no one person. I stalk everybody. Everybody just comes. I don't specifically go and stalk anybody.

42:24Okay. Have you ever dated? I just know what everybody's up to. Okay. So have you ever dated or

42:31almost dated somebody from the industry? You don't have to take names. But yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay.

42:40A role you were offered but turned down and now regret. Would you want to disclose that? I'm not sure if I

42:45regret but I have turned down some really really good roles. Good ones also. Which later became better

42:51because when they were offered to me they weren't so impactful or so well written and then later they

42:56were dave. But you know that's the thing with our films. So many times the characters sometimes become

43:03better in execution and sometimes they become worse. So it's a what do you call it? It's a

43:11I mean it's a tough call at the end of the day. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's a tricky place because you just have

43:18to go with your gut and see what's working for you. But yes a couple of films that I rejected were

43:22like could have been good. Okay. What's one secret that your fans would be shocked to know about you?

43:29I think my fans know that I'm a big foodie. Okay. Yeah. So I'm I'm because the way I look

43:39I look like she must be so like but I'm a big foodie and I love food and I pretty much eat everything

43:47in moderation obviously but possibly that. Yeah. Okay. Cool. One director who intimidates you but you'd

43:54work with in a heartbeat. I would work with in a heartbeat. Yeah. Oh Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Oh my god.

44:02Like of course. Everybody take his name. Yeah because because he and S.S. Rajmolli. Rajmolli.

44:08Now I would want to work with Rajmolli sir. S.S. Rajmolli sir. Sanjay Leela Bhansali sir. So many actors.

44:14Yeah. Yeah. Actors directors. Directors. Yeah. Yeah. Now if a movie was made on your love life

44:20what would it be called? On My Love Life. On Your Love Life. Oh ho. Pir Sikana Dunna Padeka.

44:28A movie made on my love life. I did it again. Britney Spears.

44:33I'm answering. Yeah. Because you're such a pro. You know all of these songs.

44:37So in every situation there's a song. Okay. Now have you ever lied during a media interview to avoid

44:45controversy? Lied. Yeah lied. I don't think I really lie. No. I just refuse to answer.

44:54I mean if something is uncomfortable but I don't lie. Okay. Has any of your co-stars

45:00slid into your DMs with something unexpected? No. Never. Never. Last question. Was the most

45:07random or most hilarious DM of an encounter you've had? Most hilarious? Yeah. Hilaire or like

45:14you know like fun or something that is worth remembering? Maybe emotional?

45:24Actually I feel there are two right after Akhanda I remember right after Kanchi I remember when I'd gone

45:30for my first store opening in the south it's a really big thing. So I remember people had come to me

45:35like two three women have come to me crying and they just touched me and they started crying that

45:41we can't believe you're real you know and we love you so much. So I think when I saw people with tears

45:47in their eyes and not boys these are girls who were just like you know we love you and we've loved you

45:53in the film and we love your work. I feel these are also moments of validation like you know how what I

45:57said about awards it's almost the same feeling when you see that real love yeah from people so I

46:04mean you get that kind of like warmth and validation from real people yeah that was my first experience

46:10after country so that was super special I'll never forget that opening when these girls were just crying

46:15two three of them they just wanted to hold and they just wanted to shake hands and they were just so

46:19thrilled with just shaking hands that I suddenly felt like oh I'm somebody I've done something right in my

46:27life like people feel like that about me like so that was the first time and then I feel oh very this

46:34is I don't think this is just anything emotional or anything but that was surreal for you yeah that

46:39was really surreal the second one is fully different like second one I remember when after Akhanta I went

46:45for the first road opening I was in a smaller town in Antra or Tilakar I don't remember which one exactly

46:51but that was the first time I saw like an ocean of people okay and that was just me you know all the

47:00other places I'm probably going with a Palakrishnasar or with the team so you know that it's they are

47:07coming for the whole gang this one event was just my solo me alone Shrikakulam oh god I remember

47:15that was the city that's the town Shrikakulam I remember I've gone on stage and till wherever my eyes

47:23can reach there are just people like if I see a building toh uski boundary wall pe log khad hai if

47:30it's a terrace then on the terrace till wherever my eyes could go wow there there's a shop then on top of

47:37the shop and outside the shop and in the shop and on top it was just everywhere like wherever

47:47I had never seen something like that so that honestly got me like the magnanimity of it yeah the

47:52magnanimity of it I was just like yeah like this is also possible you know Praga it's been great having

48:00you on table for two thank you and before we part ways uh I just want you to sort of like ask you one

48:08last thing and that is that if you could go back in time and tell your 18 year old self who I happen

48:16to see personally as this tomboy you know not the Praga Jaiswal that is right now what would you tell

48:23moment now if there is one piece of advice you could give I would tell the 18 year old Pragya to

48:33just chill you know everything has a habit of falling in place and you don't have to go so crazy

48:40trying to control I think I'm a bit of a control free I want everything in order a certain way certain

48:45time place all of that and I take a lot of stress trying to get things in place so I feel I would just

48:51tell the younger Pragya to just take it easy because things just fall in place anyway how sweet how

48:57lovely on that note we're gonna finish the dessert and that's a wrap guys thank you so much for being here

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

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