“Being Repeated by a Director is the Biggest Compliment” — Yaaneea Bharadwaj on Maa, Her Bold Roles, and the Passion That Powers Her Journey
Mumbai: From the serene valleys of Himachal Pradesh to the vibrant screens of Indian cinema, Yaaneea Bharadwaj is carving a space uniquely her own—fueled by fearless choices, emotional depth, and an unshakable love for storytelling.
Her journey began on the stage, not the screen. With performances at NCPA and Prithvi Theatre, Yaaneea honed her craft where art is raw and unfiltered. “Theatre taught me discipline, honesty, and the sacred energy of performance,” she says, reflecting on her early days. That grounding now seeps into every character she inhabits—intense, real, and unforgettable.
Her big break came in Zoya Akhtar’s acclaimed series Made in Heaven, where she portrayed Sukhmani—a bold, big-hearted Punjabi girl. It wasn’t just a role; it was a transformation. “I gained weight for the character, and had barely two weeks to get the dialect right. It was challenging, but I loved it,” she recalls. The performance earned her instant recognition and put her on the radar of casting directors.
But it was Chhorii—the atmospheric horror film—that cemented her reputation. As Suneni (Choti Maai), the ghostly figure who haunted the protagonist, Yaaneea underwent grueling hours in prosthetics under searing conditions. “I ended up hospitalized once from the heat and makeup layers… but I’d still do it all again,” she laughs. The effort didn’t go unnoticed—she received a Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress, calling the moment “completely surreal.”
Around the same time, she was recognized as one of NFDC’s 75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow, and earned a Best Actress nomination at the Paris All Women Awards for a short film. The accolades, however, are just milestones in her long view of storytelling.
Now, Yaaneea steps into a deeply emotional role in Vishal Furia’s Maa, playing Purohita, a woman accused of a horrific crime she didn’t commit. “It’s a role that broke me open. The writing was so layered. You feel her pain, her isolation—and then, finally, a kind of quiet redemption,” she says. Though she stars alongside Kajol in the film, the two didn’t share scenes. “Still, just being in the same film as Kajol felt like a dream.”
Maa also marks her second collaboration with Vishal Furia, after Chhorii. “When a director casts you again, it’s the biggest compliment. It means they trust you. That’s rare and sacred.” In the film, Yaaneea carried a baby through most of her scenes—both physically and emotionally intense. “You become hyper-aware of your own body language, the weight of every movement, every breath.”
Off-screen, she’s just as dynamic. Yaaneea is trained in swords, nunchaku, and once starred in a commercial with Hrithik Roshan, showcasing her martial arts skills. A basketball fan and film buff, she watches a movie every single day. “Cinema is my lifeline. I learn from every frame, every character, every story,” she says.
With Maa earning critical praise, and upcoming projects like Gulkanda Tales opposite Pankaj Tripathi, Yaaneea Bharadwaj is on a roll—quietly building a career rooted in authenticity, risk-taking, and grace. Whether she’s a ghost, a wrongly accused priestess, or a firebrand from Punjab, she disappears into her roles with sincerity that stays with you long after the credits roll.
The industry may just be waking up to her brilliance, but Yaaneea is here to stay—and to shine.
