Tejaswini Kolhapure Says Being Padmini Kolhapure's Sister Brought Pressure & Not Privilege: 'I Was Asked To Act Like Her In Auditions' | FPJ EXCLUSIVE

Coming from a celebrated film family might appear like a shortcut to success, but for many actors it also comes with immense expectations and constant scrutiny. Actress Tejaswini Kolhapure, who belongs to one of Bollywood’s most well-known acting families, recently opened up about the challenges of carving her own identity in the industry while being constantly compared to her legendary sister Padmini Kolhapure.

In an interaction with The Free Press Journal, Tejaswini spoke candidly about how being from a film background opened doors but also added immense pressure. She also recalled how certain auditions left her disheartened when she was asked to imitate her sister’s acting style, and how years of comparison affected her confidence and career decisions.

Tejaswini explains that while being from a film family sparks curiosity and visibility, it also comes with intense expectations and scrutiny. “People are curious to see what someone from a film family is doing. The media builds them up as well. So yes, it opens doors, but there is a lot of hard work involved. Eventually, someone who comes from a film family has to prove themselves 100 times more than someone who is just entering the industry. The kind of pressure that one goes through is crazy.”

She recalled how certain auditions left her feeling dejected when casting teams asked her to perform like her sister. “When I went for certain auditions, it was so disheartening because a lot of people said, ‘Achha, aap Padmini jaisa acting karo.’ I am me - how can I act like her? A few auditions went like this and I was so dejected. Why are you comparing me with my sister? Thank God she is much older than me. Imagine if siblings have just a two-three year age gap - what they must go through. It is so unfair.”

Tejaswini revealed that the constant comparisons deeply affected her confidence and often made her question whether she should continue acting. “So many times I felt like giving up. That’s why sometimes you see me and sometimes you don’t - I go back into my little shell, wondering whether I should move ahead or not. Actors are very sensitive people. But over the years, with a lot of self-growth and realisations, I’ve understood that it shouldn’t matter. Nobody should pay attention to the comparisons. I only wish someone had told me this earlier.”