Shriya Pilgaonkar: You have to be grounded — that's the only way to navigate a world full of deception

Time of India

a day ago

With a string of impactful performances across the OTT space —
Mirzapur
, Guilty Minds, The Broken News, and Taaza Khabar —
has carved a distinct space for herself. Now, she's all set to headline the whodunnit series
Chhal Kapat The Deception
.
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What makes this project especially intriguing is that it marks her first time donning a uniform — though her character is far from the typical onscreen cop. It's a nuanced role with secrets of its own.
Shriya as Devika, a cop, in Chhal Kapat The Deception
A longtime fan of the mystery genre, Shriya says, 'I'm actually a huge fan of whodunits — since childhood. I grew up reading Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie, Secret Seven... There used to be these one-minute murder mystery books I'd devour and try to solve.
In fact, I once worked as a voice artist for a detective show when I was younger, so the detective element has always been a part of my life.'
What drew her to this role wasn't just the thrill of investigation but the complexity of the character. 'I think naturally women have that detective instinct, even in everyday life. So of course, I was drawn to the genre. But just wearing a uniform wasn't enough — I wanted to explore the person behind the badge,' she explains.
Shriya continues, 'We've seen iconic characters like
Ma'am in
Delhi Crime
or Jaideep Ahlawat's Hathi Ram Chaudhary in
Paatal Lok
. What interested me was understanding who Devika is. She's a young woman coping with the loss of her husband, relocating to a small town for a quieter life — only to be thrown into a case the moment she arrives. As the investigation unfolds, so does her inner world. And like the title Chhal Kapat The Deception suggests, she isn't exactly who she appears to be either.
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That multi-layered vulnerability is what drew me to her — those very human complexities make a story come alive.'
The show's title — a nod to duplicity — naturally extends to real life as well. Ask Shriya how she navigates a world full of hidden motives, and she offers, 'You have to be very grounded yourself. That's especially important for an actor. You don't need too many people, but surround yourself with the right energy.
I'm instinctive, and rarely have I been wrong about people. It's all about expectation management. In this industry, building trust takes time — there's always a give and take. So, you need to keep relationships that aren't based on transactions, close. That's where your grounding lies. Because when you're rooted, you're not constantly seeking validation or trying to please people.'
Directed by Ajay Bhuyan, Chhal Kapat The Deception also stars Kamya Ahlawat, Ragini Dwivedi, Tuhina Das, Yahhve Sharma, Pranay Pachauri, Smaran Sahu, and Anuj Sachdeva in key roles.