Maharashtra Day 2026: Prajakta Koli Says, 'My Pride In My Mother-Tongue Is Growing Every Day'

We can term her the female Jack (Jill?) of all trades, but unlike the well-known proverb, she is also master of all. Meet Prajakta Koli. If you call her a YouTuber, well, she is a social media influencer too. And a writer. And an actor across mediums. With probably more avenues coming up to showcase an incredibly prodigious talent.

On the eve of Maharashtra Day, we talk to this all-rounder Marathi mulgi about the occasion as well as her sparkling journey.

Excerpts from the interview:

What does Maharashtra Day mean for a Marathi girl who is professionally more into Hindi and English?

Honestly, all along my childhood, I never felt that Maharashtra Day was anything special except for thinking, “Arre wah! It’s a holiday!” My father’s mother-tongue is Marathi, but my mother is from Delhi even though her mother was a Maharashtrian. We speak both Hindi and Marathi at home as mom also knows Marathi well. But the older I grew, the connection deepened. And every day, my pride in my mother-tongue is growing, as I now realize how much significance this language holds. I had never read a Marathi book before, but I recently read Ranjeet Desai’s Shrimaan Yogi, which is a superb book on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

I have also starred in my first Marathi film, Krantijyoti Vidyalay Marathi Madhyam, which has done great business and is about saving schools that teach in Marathi. There is a huge section I have reached through it at a personal level and every single day, I was aware of the pride I feel about its theme.

You also were a part of the Marathi pop culture festival, RADA.

Yes! RADA was very special for me as Sarang Sathaye and his wife, Paula are very close friends, and I am very inspired by them and their digital channel, BhaDiPa. They present Marathi pop culture in a way that is relevant and light and that is brilliant! I enjoyed a lot with Marathi artistes of varied genres coming under one roof at the festival with so much pride in our language. They showed that Marathi was not just a regional language but its culture, music and poetry appeal beyond the boundaries of Maharashtra.

How would you describe yourself when you doff so many hats?

During my internship, when every day looked the same, I never enjoyed life! If I don’t feel charged with so many varied things, I get bored and lose motivation. What I enjoy most is when each day is never the same. And if you observe all my different activities and break them down, it all boils down to one thing: storytelling! My YouTube videos, my reels, my books, my long-format web series and my movies, are nothing else!

I love storytelling! From early on, I would imagine scenarios in my mind and put them on paper. Now I share them with my team, which has pretty much been the same for the last 11 years. The biggest boon of this era is that all these multiple platforms, are available. So, while the basics remain the same, the platforms on which I upload, or the ways my work is seen or heard, are different.

You have even written a book, Too Good To Be True. Is that fiction as well?

Yes, it is. Remember I am a storyteller? I am now writing another book as well.

To who and what would you give the credit for this crazy quantum of success?

A huge, huge chunk of the credits goes to my parents, and that has had a domino effect! I had a very happy, secure and enriching childhood. In our home, everyone was very equal, and whatever I said was heard with due attention. Whatever was spoken to me was with respect, and it was never ‘Hee lahaan aahe (She is a small girl), so what will she know?’ And that finally gave me confidence, for there was no restriction in speaking my mind, or trying out new things safely. I thank them for raising me to the way I am. In my life, multiple tabs are constantly open and I have my feet in multiple boats. In fact, initially I became even a shade overconfident!

And my parents have a wide social group since their college days, and I have grown up with lots of weekend plans happening between them all. One family’s son, Nishant Koli, was given to me as a friend and we have remained so for 32 years as we have grown up together!

As I am an only child, I enjoyed and loved both my solitude and my parents’ full attention. We were a nuclear family, though my grandparents too were around till around my eighth grade. So, for me, it was less of a parent-daughter bond and more of friendship.

In a video I watched online, your father even said that you were his guru!

He’s a little filmi, that man!

How did this seed of storytelling originate?

Professionally, it all began with my radio internship with Fever FM. But I was in the eighth grade when I completed a course in Bharatanatyam. I remember dancing and acting on stage as Lakshman, or as Jatayu, in performances that were almost like plays. I have a vivid memory of something clicking into place then. I was 11 years old, when I told my parents what I wanted to do, and they supported my ambitions.

I then tested for everything. I started comedy skits on YouTube, got bored soon, shifted to my channel, Mostly Sane, went on to deal with social issues, started my Instagram, acted in a short film, Khayali Pulao, and worked in series and a few movies. At the moment, coincidentally, shows are happening more. One more season each of Mismatched and Single Papa are happening. Then there is a new show, Operation Safed Sagar. At the moment, there is no new film. The only Hindi films I have done are Jug Jugg Jeeyo and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, both produced by Karan Johar. He was very warm, very welcoming and I had a great time working on them.

Why does Wikipedia term you as a comedian?

I don’t know! Being a comedian is far tougher, it demands a far higher form of expression. My comedy was relatable, but nothing great. You have won multiple awards and international honours with the crème-de-la-crème appearing on your channel.

Any special names that you enjoyed interviewing?

Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Monika Shergill, Ed Sheeran, Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Obama—there have been so many!

How were the meetings with luminous international names facilitated?

There were different avenues. YouTube has been a solid cheerleader and most of them came through their wanting me to meet them. It is common practice in promotions to collaborate with creators.

And now that you are flying so high, how do your parents, and now your husband Vrishank, who you know for over a decade, see you?

They continue to be extremely supportive! Their unwavering support also becomes a reality check if I do anything weird. They are good sounding boards as well, so I have not lost my mind yet!

You take up so many social causes as an influencer. Do you personally subscribe to them all?

Personal investment varies from creator to creator. I am called because I have an impact, but I believe in a lot of these issues personally. Like I am a Koli (from the fisherfolk community) so I know that due to global warming, our marine biodiversity is going for a toss. The United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP) restored the mangroves in Vengurla and also gave jobs to fishermen’s wives as a lot of the families there were struggling to keep up their livelihoods.