Piloo Vidyarthi: The Actress Who Follows the Voice of Her Soul
When Piloo Vidyarthi ji walks into a room, you can almost hear the hum of music trailing behind her. She’s a theatre artist, actor, singer, and someone who can make a harmonium, piano, or even a ukulele sing along with her. But what makes her story so captivating isn’t just the list of roles she’s played—it’s the way she’s lived them.
Her journey began in Kolkata back in 1993 with Times FM. During her college days, she was constantly performing—whether on stage in a theatre production, at music shows, or on the sets of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. “It was never about planning a career back then,” she recalls. “It was just about doing what I loved.”
Life took a new turn in 1999 when she got married and moved to Mumbai. The city didn’t win her heart immediately. “Everywhere was crowded, and I thought, ‘How am I going to survive here?’” she laughs. But the stage called her back. By 2006, she was working with Nadira Babbar’s theatre group, wearing two hats—assistant and performer. Soon after, she joined Rang Shila and worked in plays by Avneesh Mishra.
Piloo ji also poured her energy into Paathshala, a small initiative she co-founded to help children and their parents, especially Bengali families in Mumbai facing language barriers. “I was lucky that I didn’t have that problem, but I could see others struggling. Helping them just felt right,” she says.
Art is in her blood—her mother is a celebrated actress in Bengal, often called the “Nirupa Roy” of the region, and is also a gifted singer and musician.
Television opened up a whole new chapter for Piloo ji. In 2014, she became a familiar face with her role in Suhani Si Ek Ladki on Star Plus, a show that became a hit. More roles followed in Gud Se Meetha Ishq, Imlie, and even the Netflix film The Body alongside Rishi Kapoor. She appeared in Akelli on Jio Cinema, based on a true story, and The Wedding Story. Her work brought her the Star Parivar Award for Favorite Mother-in-law—a title she still treasures.
And she hasn’t slowed down. In 2025, she began filming Netflix’s Mandala Murders. “I’m not the type to chase every project,” she says with a calm smile. “If work comes, I do it. If not, I still have my music, theatre, and other creative spaces.”
One of those spaces is Pratidhwani, the company she co-runs with a friend. They make short films—some of which have won awards—and post music videos and workshops on YouTube. “I’ve always believed in having more than one direction in life,” she says. “You can’t just bet everything on one thing.”
Piloo ji stepped into a new chapter with Netflix’s Mandala Murders, a project she deeply cherishes. Alongside her acting career, she also co-runs Pratidwani with Shridhar Nagraj, a gifted artist and close collaborator. Together, they create short films that have not only won awards but also given her another canvas to express her creativity beyond the stage and screen.
Ask her about her proudest achievement, and she doesn’t talk about films or awards. She talks about her son—about raising him well, giving him good values, and watching him grow into a responsible human being.
Her advice to today’s youth is simple but powerful:
“Listen to the voice of your soul. Don’t compare yourself to others. And in this noisy, competitive world—remember to be calm.”
Piloo ji’s story isn’t about chasing fame at any cost. It’s about choosing work with heart, living honestly, and staying true to herself. In a city that runs at full speed, she moves to her own rhythm—one that’s steady, soulful, and unmistakably hers.