Who is Pragya Jaiswal? Meet actress rejected for being 'too pretty,' edited out from Salman Khan's film, and open to dating Shubman Gill
Telugu actress Pragya Jaiswal stirred curiosity with her recent comment on finding cricketer Shubman Gill cute enough to date. Here’s everything you need to know about her.
Telugu actress Pragya Jaiswal has been at the forefront of headlines with her recent comment about cricketer Shubman Gill. The diva who has often stirred controversies with her professional choices seems to have now gotten her fans shipping the two of them already. In this article, we will learn a little more about her.
Who is Pragya Jaiswal?
Born in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Pragya Jaiswal has made a name for herself in Telugu films, as well as with her occasional stints in Bollywood. Within a short span of her career, the diva has bagged quite a few awards and has grabbed notice at a pan-India level. She achieved a breakthrough with her performance in the Tamil film Kanche, co-starring Varun Tej.
Pragya Jaiswal has a degree in law; her journey to modeling pageants
While Pragya has forayed into films and made a name for herself, she did complete her degree in law and was a student at the Symbiosis Law School in Pune. It was during this time that she simultaneously picked up modeling assignments and participated in several beauty pageants. By 2014, she was presented with a special award by her college for her achievements in the field of art and culture.
Pragya’s foray into films, achieving a breakthrough with Varun Tej’s Kanche
Pragya Jaiswal made her debut in the film world with the Tamil film Virattu in 2014. While she did not play the titular role, she did have a significant screen presence. A year later she made her Telugu film debut with Mirchi Lanti Kurradu. However, the film failed to hit the mark at the box office.
However, it was finally with Varun Tej’s Kanche that Pragya received her breakthrough performance. A commercial success, the actress essayed the role of a princess. Her beauty and grace charmed millions of audiences.
Pragya’s filmography over the years, followed by a three-year hiatus
Moving on, Pragya Jaiswal went on to be a part of several films in the Telugu and Tamil industries extensively. After two successive setbacks with the movies Om Namo Venkatesaya and Gunturodu, the diva gained critical appreciation for the Sundeep Kishan starrer Nakshatram, where she played the role of an IPS officer.
After her last release, Achari America Yatra, with Vishnu Manchu in 2018, Pragya took a three-year hiatus. She was back on screen again in Nandamuri Balakrishna’s film Akhanda in 2021. The film went on to become the third highest Telugu grosser that year.
When Pragya Jaiswal got rejected from films for being too pretty
Pragya Jaiswal had once talked about the number of rejections she had faced in her career, and most of it happened because she appeared to be too pretty for the filmmakers. In an old interview with Bollywood Bubble, the actress had talked about the same, citing how being pretty turned out to be a problem for her.
Recalling what she was told, Pragya had said, “This girl is too pretty for this role. She won’t fit this.’ I said, ‘Is this a bad thing?’ Now, being pretty is also a problem. I don’t think there have been a lot of regrets like that, but there have been a lot of rejections—but that’s part and parcel of an actor’s life.”
Pragya Jaiswal was dropped from Salman Khan’s film
Did you know Pragya was once dropped from a big-budget Bollywood film featuring Salman Khan? Well, her Hindi film debut was supposed to be with the superstar in the film Antim. She even had shot a song with Salman when the makers decided to snip out her role.
Addressing the same during one of her media interactions, Pragya had said, “Eventually, when all the top-level people saw the film, they realized that this aspect was going away from their original idea. So they decided, for the best interest of the film—and me—to delete the parts. Because if that track won’t work for the film, then it may not help the film or me as an actor. I worked with Salman sir; I am very happy. I did a song with him for the world to see, so I am very happy. I’m grateful for the experience because there are certain things in your hands and there are certain things that are not in your hands.”
Pragya Jaiswal grabbed headlines for her comment about cricketer Shubman Gill
Quite recently, Pragya Jaiswal came to the forefront of headlines when she made a curious comment about cricketer Shubman Gill. During a recent interview, the diva was questioned about her single status and was left blushing when she was told that fans feel good about her match with the cricketer.
In response to the buzz, the actress said, “He’s cute, yeah, guys. Come on, whatever you all want, I’m single. Make it happen. If it’s written, if it’s meant to be, it can be. I mean, I’ve never had a thing for or against a cricketer. If it’s a nice person and we get along well, why not?"
On the work front, the diva would collaborate next with NBK in Daaku Maharaaj.