Oct 28, 2026 3:08pm IST
‘Sumo Didi’ Star Shriyam Bhagnani Pushes Back Against ‘Nepo Kid’ Tag: ‘I’ve Made It On My Own’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Shriyam Bhagnani portrays Hetal Dave, the first and only sumo wrestler from India in the new film “Sumo Didi,” currently streaming on Zee5. In the film, a chronicle of her growth as an athlete, Dave sets out for Japan to undergo intense training from professionals.
Speaking to Variety India about her own journey as a sportswoman, Bhagnani recalls her training to become a tennis star, “I started playing tennis when I was about four years old. I was put into it because I had a lot of energy and that needed to be channeled somewhere. So, my parents put me in a neighborhood tennis class. I started doing really well initially. And I used to play seven or eight hours a day, even on school days.”
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Sharing what led to her stepping away from the sport and how she’d want to fulfil it with another biopic role, she says, “I played up to interstate level. But I couldn't go ahead because at that time my family wasn't doing well financially. I didn't have the funds, so I had to prioritize my studies over tennis. But I really love the sport so much that I genuinely have manifested playing Sania Mirza on screen. I even got a nose piercing. I was obsessed.”
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Hailing from an entertainment family, Shriyam is the niece of film producer Vashu Bhagnani and the cousin of actor Jackky Bhagnani. She admits the ‘nepo kid’ tag does follow her around. “Since my first project, people have been assuming that I'm getting work because of my family. There have been a lot of questions thrown at me about this. My family has worked for so many years. And if anybody's associating me with my family, it's only a matter of pride. But it's not the truth that I've received help. I've made it on my own,” she maintains.
After premiering at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2023, the film has finally found its way to Indian screens via an OTT release.
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