From Jhansi theatre to Phoolan Devi: How Sneha Kumari landed her first film role

When Jhansi-based Sneha Kumari first auditioned for the role of Phoolan Devi in Phoolan, directed and co-written by Richie Mehta, she was rejected. Nearly a month later, goaded by her brother, she performed the lines given to her again, taped the audition and sent it.

This time, Sneha was selected to attend a workshop in Mumbai, along with five others who were also being considered for the part. Though her family was not very open to the idea of their daughter pursuing acting, Sneha, accompanied by her sister-in-law and supported by her brother, attended the month-long workshop under the supervision of casting director Mukesh Chhabra. She, however, did not tell her parents about the role she was eyeing.

Soon after, she bagged the role. But getting ready to play Phoolan required intensive preparation, including combat training. Apart from the physical preparation, she watched interviews of Phoolan Devi and read the bandit-turned-parliamentarian’s autobiography, I, Phoolan Devi: The Autobiography of India’s Bandit Queen (1996), and worked on internalising the script.

“After I read the script and Phoolan Devi’s autobiography, I got to know more about her. Since it was in her words, after you read each chapter, you wonder about her life. You also feel sad that she had to undergo all this at a very young age,” says the 22-year-old actor.

Even after all the preparation, Sneha was nervous before the shooting began. “But Richie sir asked me not to overthink. He asked me to imagine how I would respond if I had to face what she encountered,” says Sneha, who is a second-year student at Madhya Pradesh Natya Vidyalaya.

While Phoolan marks Sneha’s big-screen debut, she has been acting in street plays and on stage under the guidance of her elder brother, Pushpendra Singh, for several years. She was selected for Bhartendu Natya Academy in Lucknow, where she further refined her craft. Her theatre work includes plays such as Lanchhan, Prem Light, Kitni Nirbhaya, Dastak and Andha Yug. She singles out Lanchhan, based on a story by Munshi Premchand, as one of her favourites.

(Far left) Sneha Kumari as Phoolan Devi in Phoolan.

Mehta says they selected Sneha because “she embodied the spirit” of what they were looking for. “She had the energy, the youthfulness… Sneha comes from the region. She has more knowledge of that part of the world than I ever will. So, I also had to rely on her. That was one of the reasons I wanted to collaborate with her,” says Mehta.

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Born in 1963 in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, Phoolan Devi rose to prominence in the early 1980s after spending several years as a bandit in the ravines of the Chambal valley. She surrendered in 1983 and spent 11 years in prison. Following her release in 1994, she entered public life and was elected twice as a Member of Parliament from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. In 2001, she was killed outside her residence in New Delhi.

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Phoolan, which is an Amazon MGM Studios film and produced by Namah Pictures, focuses on a 48-hour siege in which 17-year-old Phoolan Devi and a member of her group must outsmart the Indian police. The sequences are physically and mentally demanding. However, Sneha found considerable support from her co-actors, including Anurag Thakur, Aakash Dahiya and Prateek Pachori, while filming these scenes.

Before Sneha began shooting for the film, which involved a long schedule, she finally told her family that she had been cast as Phoolan Devi. When her debut film premiered at the recent Toronto International Film Festival, her parents couldn’t have been happier.

Alaka Sahani is a prominent film critic and journalist based in Mumbai. With a career spanning over two decades, she has established herself as one of India’s most authoritative voices in cinematic journalism, known for an analytical approach and insights that transcend the standard cycle of celebrity journalism. Expertise & Accolades In 2014, Alaka was honoured with the National Film Award for Best Film Critic. Her Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) citation specifically lauded her for "highlighting facets of cinema beyond glamour and gossip" and for her ability to delve into the contemporary relevance of iconic filmmakers. Her commitment to journalistic integrity was further recognised in 2019 with a Special Mention at the Red Ink Awards for her investigative feature, 'In Search of a Star'. Her article titled 'People Like Us', published in The Indian Express on March 27, 2022, was shortlisted for Red Ink Award, 2023. Global Industry Leadership Alaka’s expertise is sought after by major international and domestic film bodies: Golden Globes: In 2025, she joined the international voting body for the 83rd Annual Golden Globes. National Film Awards: She served on the prestigious jury for the 68th National Film Awards, helping select the finest contributions to Indian cinema. Global Perspective: Her work consistently bridges the gap between commercial Bollywood A-listers and emerging independent talents, offering nuanced insights into both Indian regional cinema and international film trends. Focus & Vision Beyond the screen, Alaka is a dedicated observer of Mumbai’s vibrant theatre scene and the historical evolution of the moving image. Through her long-form articles and deep-dive interviews, she continues to challenge "tried-and-tested" templates, providing readers with a deep understanding of the artistic and systemic workings of the Indian and global film industry. ... Read More