In his six-year long journey in the entertainment industry, actor Prithvi Tanwar has seen many highs and lows and one thing that has helped him sail through this competitive business is his passion for his craft. Hailing from Chittorgarh, a city in Rajasthan, Prithvi has made his mark in the entertainment industry by appearing in popular TV shows like Tumhi Ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi and Sasural Simar Ka 2. In this interview, the actor talks about his journey in the entertainment industry, battle with Covid-19, finding work during the lockdown, changing his name, advice for aspiring actors and more.
On April 28, you tested positive for Covid-19. How was the recovery process like?
I managed to recover from it successfully but I felt weak for a long period of time. It was a difficult and almost scary period to go through but I thank God for helping me pull out of it. I was shooting in Agra and was travelling back to Mumbai when this happened. Once I landed in Mumbai, I started feeling uneasy. I thought it was fever. I took tablets but my condition continued to get worse. After I got my tests done, I realised I was Covid positive.
Your character in Sasural Simar Ka 2 has been appreciated. Do you feel fortunate to have got work during a time when things are moving at a slow pace in the industry?
Yes, definitely! During the first lockdown, which happened in early 2020, I was in my hometown Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. Once things started opening up, I thought of coming to Mumbai but my parents were a little apprehensive. There was Covid and Sushant’s death had also affected him in a huge way. They suggested that I take up the reins of your family business and settle down in Chittorgarh.
Were you fine with this idea?
Acting has always been my passion and I definitely wanted to come back to Mumbai. However, I also realised where this fear and apprehension was coming from. There is a lot of struggle in this profession and after Covid, things have become even more difficult. I know of so many actors who have left Mumbai and gone back to their hometown as there was no work here. I did consider the idea of joining my family business but after a point, I realised I couldn’t leave acting. I requested my family to let me go to Mumbai for just a month and try to look for work again. Thankfully, I got this show.
You changed your name from Mahesh Tanwar to Prithvi Tanwar in the year 2019 as a tribute to your late uncle. You must be very close to him.
Yes, I was very close to my bade papa. His name was Prithvi Tanwar and he passed away several years back. I changed my name in 2019 as I was very close to him and wanted to pay a tribute to him. Even though he was no longer in this world, I wanted his name to stay alive through me.
Shooting in Agra must have been quite a special experience as your maternal grandmother lives there and you have a lot of childhood memories associated with that place.
Yes, that’s right. All the memories related to my summer vacations are from Agra. When I was shooting, I couldn’t meet my grandmother because of the prevailing situation. I didn’t want her to risk her health. Even all of us who were shooting for the show were not allowed to venture out to another area.
You have been working in the entertainment industry since 2015. How do you look at your journey so far?
I firmly believe that everything happens at the right time. With time, I am getting better at my craft and getting better opportunities. Maybe if I had got a show like ‘Sasural Simar Ka’ two years back, I would not have been able to perform it as well as I am able to today. I came from my hometown to Mumbai and joined an acting school. After that, I started giving auditions. I got rejected in numerous auditions. I did theatre for around six months to hone my skills. I got my first show ‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi Ho’ in 2015. Since then, it has been quite an interesting journey filled with a lot of learning experiences.
Every day, so many people from different parts of the country arrive in Mumbai to become actors. What would be your advice to them?
If you decide to come to Mumbai to become an actor, you must come armed with a lot of patience. Patience is the most important thing for an actor. You must also come with a back-up plan. Sometimes, it takes a while to get work. The support of the family is very important. I am grateful to my family for always being a pillar of support for me.