Actress Shruti Gholap, who plays the Sumati in Jamai No. 1, a show produced by Prateek Sharma and Parth Shah’s LSD Studios, is winning hearts with her layered and heartfelt performance. But behind the screen, Shruti is grounded, candid, and refreshingly self-aware about her journey in the entertainment industry. In an exclusive conversation, she opened up about everything from career-defining advice to the art of becoming someone you’re not — convincingly. "To be honest, it’s come to me in different forms, but the core of it is: don’t chase success, focus on your craft," Shruti says, reflecting on the best advice she’s ever received. "When you work with honesty, when your performance is effortless and smooth, you can play any character. And when you do it for your own satisfaction — not just for validation — that’s when you've truly achieved something."
In a world often obsessed with external validation, Shruti’s definition of success is refreshingly personal. "Success, to me, is very personal. It doesn't depend on how much society values you or how many people are cheering for you," she explains. "If you look at the history of Bollywood, many great actors — talented ones — have been out of work for years, but when their time comes, they rise again. So success is about timing, self-belief, and personal growth." Currently seen as Sumati, the mother of lead character Neel, Shruti steps into a role that’s far from her real-life experience. "Right now, I’m playing the role of Neel’s mother, Sumati. But in real life, I’m not married, she laughs.
"So yes, I'm playing a mother and even a grandmother — and it all comes down to range... the voice modulation, the expressions, the body language, the emotional maturity." On screen, Sumati is both traditional and unpredictable — a blend of emotional warmth and comic relief. That signature unpredictability, Shruti admits, comes from her own personality. "I love joking around, I laugh a lot, I enjoy doing unexpected things — even childish things! And I’ve added a lot of that into Sumati’s character. That playful energy, that unpredictability — it beautifies the character and makes her feel more real."
While the audience often sees the glitz and glamour, Shruti is quick to bust some of the most common myths about being an actor. "People think being an actor means always wearing branded clothes, walking the red carpet, always looking flawless and being happy all the time," she says, honestly. "Actors are just like ordinary people. We have problems, insecurities, and everyday struggles. The real work we do is internal — adjusting, fixing, learning, growing. That’s what makes a good actor." With Jamai No. 1 gaining popularity across households, it’s clear that Shruti’s authenticity — both on-screen and off — is what truly sets her apart. "I think it’s important to leave a little bit of yourself in every role you play," she concludes with a smile. "That’s what makes it alive."