Published: 10:56 AM, 09 June 2026
Maanvi Gagroo on why women must change the system
For many millennials, actor Maanvi Gagroo first appeared on their screens through the Disney Channel series Dhoom Machaao Dhoom. Nearly 20 years later, she is now one of the most recognisable faces of India's streaming era, with popular shows like Four More Shots Please!, Tripling, and TVF Pitchers to her name. After a six-year gap from theatres, as her last big-screen release was Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Maanvi is returning to cinemas with Heer Sara. The film is a female-led road-trip drama co-starring Patralekhaa. Set in Pondicherry, it follows two very different women whose unexpected journey together becomes a story of friendship and self-discovery, releasing on June 12, 2026.
In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Maanvi spoke about playing her character Heer, how OTT platforms gave her career more freedom, and why stories made for women deserve the same seriousness as any other genre.
Although Maanvi has portrayed lively and energetic characters before, she admits Heer required a much finer balance than she had anticipated. “I was very worried because I didn't want to make this character so loud that she gets annoying. With bubbly, talkative characters, there's a very fine line. It can very easily get on your nerves,” she said.
To ensure the character felt authentic rather than overwhelming, she worked closely with writer and director Kartik Chaudhry throughout the shoot. She said, “I asked him, ‘You have to help me find her voice. Please tell me if it's going too high or too low.’ Initially, I played her very subtly and Karthik kept saying, ‘Open up, open up.’ Then later he would come and tell me, ‘Now it's getting too shrill, bring it down a notch.’ We worked together to find that balance.”
