Bhumi Pednekar attends the premiere of ‘The Archies’ in Mumbai on Dec.5, 2023. AFP

Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar is set to play an underdog journalist who takes on a giant villain exploiting young girls at a women’s shelter in “Bhakshak,” says the upcoming film is one of the most important films that she has done in her career. Bhumi said: “For me, the month of February has been most special ever since my debut as an actor. My first film ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ released in February and it got me so much love, acclaim and respect that it cemented my position as an envelope pushing actor in the industry.” “It was a true disruptor of a project. I couldn’t believe the outpouring of appreciation coming my way for my first film and I will be forever indebted to this film for giving me a dream start to my film career.”

She added: “My film Badhaai Do also released in Feb. It was a game-changing film of my career and for the film industry as we openly celebrated the LGBTQIA+ community and their rights.

“It was also special for me because I stood up for something I truly believed in and was proudly vocal about it. Again, like ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’, I was flooded with love. The praise, the countless Best actress awards, the opportunities that were unlocked because of ‘Badhaai Do’ is stuff that dreams are made of!”

With “Bhakshak” all set to release on February 9, she said: “It is one of the most important films that I have done in my career and I hope that the project, my director Pulkit and I get the same amount of love that I had received for “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” and “Badhaai Do!” I hope February is again lucky for me and I manage to deliver a performance that people will remember forever.”

The film also stars Sanjay Mishra, Aditya Srivastava and Sai Tamhankar in pivotal roles. “Bhakshak” explores the journey of an unwavering woman’s quest to seek justice. Bhumi Pednekar, as Vaishali Singh, portrays the role of an investigative journalist who wants to bring to light a heinous crime, laying bare the ground reality of crimes against women.

Director Pulkit said in a statement, “Our aim was to shed light on the harsh realities of society and spark conversations that lead to meaningful change. I’m looking forward to more people joining this important dialogue.” Expressing his thoughts on the film’s release, Gaurav Verma, producer at Red Chillies Entertainment, said, “We believe in storytelling that not only entertains but also enlightens. This film is a testament to our commitment to narratives that provoke thought and inspire societal reflections. We’re excited to collaborate with Netflix to share this impactful story with audiences worldwide.” After working as an assistant casting director at Yash Raj Films for six years, she made her film debut as an overweight bride in the company’s romantic comedy “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” (2015), which earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.

Indo-Asian News Service