May 08, 2026 8:00pm IST
Parvathy On Battling Being Typecast In Hindi Films After ‘Qarib Qarib Singlle’: ‘I’m Coming With a 25 Kilo Bag of Audacity’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Actor Parvathy isn’t interested in being reduced to a type. In fact, she’s actively dismantling the idea that her Hindi film trajectory can be neatly defined. Reflecting on the aftermath of “Qarib Qarib Singlle,” Parvathy says the industry’s response was both flattering and limiting. The actor spoke about what followed her in the Hindi film industry after debuting with the Irrfan-starrer in an exclusive chat with Variety India.
“It was surprising to me that I was only getting characters like that,” she says, recalling how the film and her turn as Jayaji struck a chord. “Not that that’s bad. I still get so much love for Jayaji, but then every character came in and said we want a woman who’s really lost in life, trying to find love, much older,” she shares.
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What followed wasn’t a flood of varied opportunities but, as she describes it, “this deafening silence.” And when offers did arrive, they seemed to circle the same emotional terrain. Parvathy points out, “They would come and say, ‘Will you do a character with a child?’ I’m okay with any of that. In “Thangalaan,” I have five kids. But I don’t understand the rules of aging and desirability that the industry has set.”
For Parvathy, the issue is less about the roles themselves and more about the assumptions behind them. She says, “I don’t know how I’m undesirable if I have children. But at the same time, you’d say my value comes from me having children also.”
Her solution is direct and disarmingly simple. “Put me outside of the box. Give me an opportunity to audition. Let me show you what I can do. Maybe you’ll hate it. But without you trying it out, you won’t know,” she says.
It’s a philosophy she’s actively working toward. The actor speaks about attending improv sessions and theatre-based workshops to expand her range. “That’s the only place I’m able to knead out this muscle, and I’m getting more confidence. So, I’m putting out feelers everywhere if you give me the chance,” she shares.
Underlining her point, Parvathy invokes Jodie Foster’s persistence in landing “The Silence of the Lambs.” “She failed her first audition, but she had the audacity to ask for a redo. And she nailed it.” That word becomes her defining pitch. “If I am in Bollywood, I’m coming with a huge 25 kilo bag of audacity. If you tell me I don’t fit in, that’s the best thing about me,” she states.
It is also a rejection of the industry’s obsession with image building. Parvathy says, “I’m not here to build an image. I’m here to be a shapeshifter. You don’t have to like me or agree with me. But am I able to shapeshift into characters that can entertain you? Isn’t that the job description?”
Ultimately, Parvathy frames her stance less as rebellion and more as a reminder. “I’m here to remind people to remember the thing that we started doing this for. Give them a gentle nudge,” she concludes.
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