A year ago, standing at a petrol pump in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand, Shriya Pilgaonkar was greeted by an ardent fan who instantly recognised her as Sweety Gupta — a testament to the enduring, cross-continental footprint of Mirzapur. First introduced in the 2018 Prime Video crime series, Sweety became an emotional anchor for the franchise's explosive debut season, spawning an endless array of pop-culture memes and fan love that persisted long after her character's tragic climax.
Now, in a twist that feels equal parts nostalgic and celebratory, Pilgaonkar steps back into the Mirzapur universe for its high-stakes big-screen adaptation, returning to a world that altered her career trajectory.
Her return as Sweety Gupta in Mirzapur: The Movie (releasing this Friday) will mark a double-header September for the actor, as Pilgaonkar will also be seen in Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan — the director's 98th feature — starring alongside Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, next week.
"Just for my own kick, I’m calling this phase 'Shriya-tember,'" she laughs as she chats with THR India about transitioning from the grounded intensity of streaming to two massive commercial films in two weeks.
Edited excerpts from a conversation:
Having two back-to-back theatrical releases in September — Mirzapur: The Movie and Haiwaan — coming out just a week apart must feel surreal. What is your headspace right now as an actor?
For a long time, my work has been strongly associated with series and streaming. So the fact that I have two theatricals in September — and both commercial films — is a very special feeling, and definitely something I don't take for granted.
OTT has given me some of my most rewarding work; it allowed me to experiment with characters and genres, and it built my audience. But there is something irreplaceable about seeing your work on the big screen with a collective audience. That energy is very special. I started my journey with theatricals like Fan and my Marathi films, so I’m glad to be in a phase where I'm focusing heavily on films again.
What were you hungry to explore as an actor when these films came your way?
These films came to me at the right time because I had been wanting to focus specifically on film work for a while. When you do back-to-back series, there’s a tendency for people to slot you as an "OTT actor". It was very important for me not to let that boxing happen. I didn't want the medium to become the sole definition of me as an actor.
When I was told Mirzapur: The Movie was happening and that it would be set in the world of Season 1, it felt surreal. Sweety Gupta dies at the end of Season 1, so I never thought I’d get to be part of the Mirzapur universe again. But she is one of those characters that continues to live in people’s minds. Stepping back into that world on a completely new scale, with songs and music, and getting to celebrate it with the audience feels like pure gratitude.
Then with Haiwaan, it’s Priyadarshan sir’s 98th film, along with Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan reuniting after so long.
So I’m not pivoting away from OTT, I’m just widening my canvas. I’ve never viewed commercial cinema as, like, the opposite of good cinema. I think doing such a project can really expand your audience and that kind of visibility can also empower you to make more interesting choices as an actor. I’d love to find a balance between doing series and films because I genuinely enjoy both.
I also feel like I haven’t had as many opportunities to do films and theatricals as I would have liked. So there’s a part of me that’s excited to explore that space and see what I can do with it. I know I’m capable of holding my own in that world as well, and I’m excited to give myself the opportunity to prove that to myself as much as anyone else.
When the first season of Mirzapur exploded back in 2018, did you anticipate that level of cult phenomenon and fan loyalty?
When Mirzapur released initially, the reviews were actually mixed. It was only two or three months later that it gradually acquired cult status. The audience did all the heavy lifting for us because they fell in love with the characters, the body language, the dialogues, and the swag.
Even a year ago, I was in New Zealand at a petrol pump in the middle of nowhere, and the person behind the counter was a die-hard Mirzapur fan. Fan was my first big Hindi film, but Mirzapur gave me a taste of that true, widespread recognition. Sweety Gupta’s love track with Guddu and Munna had such an emotional impact that it’s something I will always happily carry with me.