Actress Sonam Bajwa who has ruled hearts in Punjabi cinema for years has now found herself in the middle of a candid conversation about how Bollywood’s typecasting nearly kept her from meaningful roles.
Currently in the spotlight for her recent Hindi film ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’, where she stars opposite Harshvardhan Rane, Sonam plays an actress who refuses to surrender to a toxic love.
In an interview with ANI, Sonam revealed that despite a decade of acclaimed performances in Punjabi films, Bollywood filmmakers were largely unaware of her work. They saw her as a glamorous face, not as a performer.
“I waited for so many years to finally get a Hindi film where I had something to do as an actor, not just look good on screen,” Sonam shared. “Whenever offers came my way, it felt like people in Hindi cinema hadn’t really seen my Punjabi work. For them, it was difficult to even imagine me in a non-glamorous role.”
According to Sonam, many filmmakers didn’t even consider auditioning her for performance-driven roles because they were “so sure” she couldn’t do them.
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“They used to say, ‘We don’t know if Sonam could do such performance-oriented roles because we haven’t seen her work much,’” she said. “I was always open to auditions, but sometimes they even refused to take them. It took me years to get a part where I could truly perform.”
Her latest release, ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’ directed by Milap Zaveri finally gave her that space. The film is currently running in theatres.
Sonam also reflected on how social media might have played a part in shaping this perception. “I don’t know what perception I’ve given through my public appearances, but this is what they thought,” she added.
The actress, who made her mark with Punjabi blockbusters like ‘Punjab 1984’, ‘Sardaar Ji 2’, ‘Nikka Zaildar’, ‘Manje Bistre’, ‘Carry on Jatta 2’, ‘Guddiyan Patole’, ‘Ardab Mutiyaran’, and ‘Honsla Rakh’, has long been celebrated for her versatility in regional cinema. Yet, her entry into Bollywood came much later with small roles in films like ‘Housefull 5’ and ‘Baaghi 4’.