Aaditi Pohankar

Aaditi Pohankar
Pohankar in 2025
Born (1997-01-01) 1 January 1997
OccupationActress
Years active2010–present
Notable workShe, Aashram

Aaditi Pohankar is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi, Marathi and Tamil films and web series. She had her breakthrough role alongside Riteish Deshmukh in the Marathi action film Lai Bhaari (2014).[1] She gained wider attention for her roles in the Hindi web series She and Aashram (both 2020–present).[2]

Early life

Aaditi Pohankar was born to Sudhir and Shobha Pohankar, both athletes.[3] While in school, she represented Maharashtra in athletics and won medals in 100 metres and 200 metres races.

Career

Pohankar began her career in theatre and had her first minor film role in the Hindi anthology film Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010) and her first major film role in the Marathi film Kunasathi Kunitari (2011).[4][3][5] She was spotted by director Nishikant Kamat when he saw Makarand's play Time Boy in Mumbai, where the actress starred as a seven-year-old boy. Kamat made her go through two days of screen tests for a role in his Marathi film Lai Bhaari (2014) and cast her opposite Riteish Deshmukh after being impressed with her temperament. Pohankar revealed that during the shoot, Kamat gave her the liberty to do what she wanted as an actress and to get into her character, she visualized herself as "an evil person". Lai Bhaari opened to positive reviews, with Pohankar's villainous character receiving praise.[6][7] The film went on to become one of the highest-grossing Marathi films.[8]

In 2017, Pohankar starred alongside Atharvaa in the Tamil film Gemini Ganeshanum Suruli Raajanum.[9]

Three years later, Pohankar starred in the Netflix web series She (2020), playing a police constable used as a honeytrap.[10] Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in found Pohankar to be "riveting" in the role, adding that she successfully "unlocks her character's complexity".[11]

Later in 2020, she starred in Aashram, playing the role of a young wrestler who is attracted to the seemingly democratic setup of the ashram, upon learning that her being a Dalit is keeping her from success due to casteism. She gained wider attention for her roles in the Hindi web series She and Aashram (both 2020–present).[2][12][13] For this role, she was trained by wrestler Sangram Singh.[14] A reviewer for IANS opined, "Aaditi Pohankar's zestful Pammi stands out for the way the actress traces the character arc."

In the media

Pohankar has appeared in over twenty brand ads and commercials including for Cadbury Munch, Godrej AER, Airtel, Lenskart and Samsung, in which she was directed by Shoojit Sircar.[15]

Pohankar was ranked in The Times Most Desirable Women at No. 47 in 2020.[16]

Filmography

Films

Year Film Role Language Notes
2010 Love Sex Aur Dhokha Aditi Hindi credited as Aditi Singh Pohankar
2011 Kunasathi Kunitari Neha Shinde Marathi
2014 Lai Bhaari Nandini
2017 Typecaste Nalini Hindi
Gemini Ganeshanum Suruli Raajanum Saroja Devi Tamil
2018 Truckbhar Swapna Kajal Marathi
2024 Star Surabi Kalaiarasan Tamil

Television

Year Title Role Language Notes
2020–2022 She Bhumika "Bhumi" Pardeshi Hindi Netflix series
2020–present Aashram Parminder "Pammi" Lochan MX Player series
2025–present Mandala Murders Moksha Netflix series
2025–2025 Ziddi Ishq Mehul Bose JioHotstar series [17]

References

  1. ^ Singh, Suhani (27 February 2021). "The OTT Generation". India Today. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Aaditi Pohankar: I want people to remember my roles". Hindustan Times. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Santhosh, K. (28 October 2012). "Straddling stage, screen and stadium". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Aaditi Pohankar". 5 January 2022 – via The Economic Times - The Times of India.
  5. ^ "Aaditi to debut in Mollywood". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Review: Lai Bhaari is awesome". Rediff. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Interview : Aditi Pohankar : Vile Yet beautiful". Satarblockbuster. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Riteish Deshmukh would be a fantastic father: Aaditi Pohankar". 27 November 2014. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Anandhi walks out; now, Aaditi in Atharvaa's film". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  10. ^ Ramnath, Nandini (25 March 2020). "'I have arrived': How web series 'She' has given Aaditi Pohankar the role of a lifetime". Scroll.in. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  11. ^ Ramnath, Nandini. "'She' review: Profane games and limp erotic thrills in Imtiaz Ali's first web series for Netflix". Scroll.in.
  12. ^ Sachin, Ambica (24 November 2020). "Aaditi Pohankar basks in the success of 'Aashram'". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  13. ^ bureau, Odisha Diary (2 September 2020). "Actress Aaditi Pohankar Speaks About Her Journey In MX Player Originals 'Aashram'". Odisha Diary. Retrieved 22 March 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  14. ^ "Ashram 2: Sangram Singh trains Aaditi Pohankar for her role as a wrestler in Aashram". Mumbai Live. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  15. ^ "When Aaditi Pohankar went fishing with the King - Sushant Singh Rajput!". Urban Asian. 6 October 2015. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  16. ^ "The Times Most Desirable Women of 2020". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  17. ^ https://www.koimoi.com/reviews/web-reviews/ziddi-ishq-review-toxicity-absurdity-found-home-in-aaditi-pohankar-parambrata-chatterjees-show-ps-no-mikesh-dont-do-villains/