Mrunal Thakur

The risk of the small screen

Mrunal Thakur was studying journalism in Bombay when television crossed her path. She wasn't looking for instant fame, but she ended up starring in Mujhse Kuchh Kehti… Yeh Khamoshiyaan in 2012. That series was the first step in a career that shuns easy shortcuts.

Her run on the soap opera Kumkum Bhagya between 2014 and 2016 brought her massive popularity in homes across India. Many actors get stuck in that financial comfort zone, because the jump to film is often hostile. But Thakur chose to leave the show at its peak in order to pursue projects that demanded something more than just physical presence.

And the gamble paid off.

In 2018, the project that changed her standing in the industry arrived. The film Love Sonia forced her to immerse herself in a raw narrative about human trafficking. To prepare for the character, she visited brothels and contacted survivors of trafficking. It was an emotionally exhausting shoot that kept her name out of the spotlight of traditional celebrities.

Conquering the Major Studios

Bollywood is typically closed off to actors who come from television. Despite this, in 2019 she landed a role in the production of Super 30 alongside Hrithik Roshan. The film earned more than 200 million rupees on its opening weekend and gave her access to scripts with bigger budgets.

That same year, she appeared in Batla House as a journalist. The choice of role was no accident, since Thakur has always tried to connect with her original academic background. Her decisions in Bombay's offices began to prioritize the strength of the script over screen time.

Not everything was a commercial success.

The film Jersey from 2022 suffered several delays due to the global health situation, and its box office performance was modest. Despite positive reviews, audiences did not turn out in theaters as expected. This period of uncertainty led her to explore other film industries within the country.

The phenomenon of the southern states

The release of Sita Ramam in 2022 marked a turning point in the scale of her career. Originally shot in Telugu, the film made her an essential figure in South Indian cinema. The film grossed over 90 million dollars worldwide, and her portrayal of Princess Noor Jahan went viral on social media.

In 2023, she continued this streak with Hi Nanna, where she shared the spotlight with Nani. Specialist critics praised her ability to carry complex family dramas without falling into the genre's usual melodrama. Her schedule for 2024 then filled up with commitments in different languages, including filming The Family Star.

Thakur's strategy is clear.

She alternates big action productions with independent projects such as the anthology Lust Stories 2 by 2023. For the latter, she worked under the direction of R. Balki, exploring themes of female sexuality that remain taboo in certain sectors of Indian society. Her contract for the film Pooja Meri Jaan was signed under strict confidentiality clauses to protect a script based on true events of harassment. The final production budget for her last three projects exceeds 150 million rupees, not counting promotional expenses.