Soumya Pandey’s success story: She left her rural hometown with high dreams and broke regional barriers in cinema

Actress Soumya Pandey has proven to the world that a filmy background isn’t an essential criterion to succeed in Bollywood. The diva has, within a very short span of time, collaborated with some of the leading names in Bollywood. That’s not all, she’s even produced a few films, proving her versatile talents.

In this article, we will learn a little bit more about Soumya Pandey’s life and inspirational journey.

Soumya Pandey never wanted to be an actress in the first place

Soumya hails from a small town in Madhya Pradesh. Her family background had no close connection to the world of films, where her father had been an officer in the MP Police, and her mother is a homemaker.

Her childhood had been quite simple, surrounded by a loving family. However, she never forgot to dream big. Interestingly, Soumya’s initial aspirations were towards sports. During her school days, she trained in a number of games like hockey, badminton, and volleyball. 

Later on, Soumya’s father inspired her to aim for the civil services and become either an IAS or an IPS officer. However, things completely turned in a different direction from here.
 

Soumya Pandey’s unexpected foray into modelling

When Soumya started college in Jabalpur, her teachers encouraged her to participate in a modelling event during her fresher’s party. However, she was quite hesitant to take part since she had no experience in wearing heels or putting on makeup.

However, the powerful experience ultimately transformed her worldview and perception, leading her to realise that the stage and camera were indeed her calling.

Things after this were not exactly smooth, since Soumya was tasked to convince her father about modelling. Her father took a year to respond and allow her to pursue this profession.

She later recalled, “When I told my father I was pursuing modeling, he asked, ‘What is that?’ He never said no outright, but always made me wait a year before fulfilling any request. At the time, it felt frustrating, but today, I realize how much it taught me about discipline and patience.”

Struggles in Mumbai before making a cut in cinema

While reaching Mumbai to pursue her goals was an easy journey, what then remained was something more difficult. With no contacts or backing, Soumya faced various stages of struggle. 

Housing issues, rejections, and most importantly, a competitive environment in cinema, attempted to deter her from her ambitions. In her words, “I had no acting experience. I started with modeling and later joined theatre. Mumbai can be overwhelming, and many people lose sight of their dreams amidst the distractions.”

Soumya dealt with language barriers in Bollywood

One of the other crucial challenges that came her way was a language barrier. Hailing from Madhya Pradesh, she had a different dialect of Hindi, which actually led many people to mistake her for a senior actor.

However, with time, she learned the need to balance Hindi with English for better communication adaptability.

Soumya Pandey’s stint as a producer

As an actor, Soumya became a part of several movies, including Raksha Bandhan and Breathe. She exemplified her talents in South cinema as well, with films like Prema, Geema, Thassha, and Diya.

She then got herself trained in scriptwriting and is all set to turn producer for a Bollywood film, directed by Abbas-Mustan. Additionally, she is also a solo producer for an upcoming South Indian film.

Soumya Pandey introducing her new podcast

Fast forward to now, Soumya Pandey recently launched the SPP UNCUT PODCAST, a unique show with no editing and script in the first place. Promoting honest and unfiltered conversations, this would be hosted by Lucky Bisht.

Some of the guests who have already graced her show till now include Gurmeet Chaudhary, Sooraj Pancholi, Abbas Mustan, and senior officer Sameer Wankhede.

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