Mrunmayee Deshpande

2007–2011: Debut and early work

Deshpande made her acting debut in 2007 with a supporting role in the Hindi-language crime drama It's Breaking News, directed by Vishal Inamdar.^[9] The following year, she began her television career with the Star Pravah daily soap Agnihotra, an ensemble drama centred on the Agnihotri family, who uncover their forgotten history, mysterious secrets and inherited traditions.^[10] In 2008, she made her Hindi film debut in a leading role with Humne Jeena Seekh Liya, opposite Siddharth Chandekar. The film featured several Marathi actors and was based on the Marathi novel Shaala, which explores the experiences of four school friends and the challenges they face.^[11] It was a commercial failure.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009, Deshpande appeared in two Marathi films alongside Kishor Kadam. In Sumitra Bhave–Sunil Sukthankar's Ek Cup Chya, she portrayed the daughter of a bus conductor who uses the Right to Information Act to fight an unjust electricity bill.^{[citation needed]} The film was screened at several international film festivals, including the Miami Film Festival and the London Film Festival, where it received critical appreciation.^[12] She also received the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Debut Actress for her performance in Lek Majhi Gunachi, in which she portrayed a courageous young woman who overcomes adversity; although the film was produced earlier, it was released in 2013.^[13]

The same year, she was cast as Janaki opposite Sunil Barve, who was around twenty years her senior, in the Zee Marathi television series Kunku.^[14] She portrayed a young village girl who is unexpectedly brought into the influential Killedar household and married to politician Narsingh as part of an attempt to avert a prophecy of his death. The role brought her widespread recognition and established her as a household name^[15]. Kunku became one of Zee Marathi's highest-rated programmes, and her performance earned her several Zee Marathi Awards, including Best Actress and Popular Face of the Year.^[16][17] In 2011, Deshpande won the dance reality show Eka Peksha Ek.^[18]

2012–2017: Rise to prominence

Following the success of Kunku, Deshpande expanded her film career, starring in 2012 in Kanchan Adhikari's family drama Mokala Shwas alongside Sharad Ponkshe, Neha Gadre and Pratiksha Lonkar, which explores the struggles of a family whose patriarch is dissatisfied with having three daughters.^[19] She portrayed Kusum, the eldest daughter, who attempts to maintain peace within the family while dealing with her father's discriminatory attitude towards his daughters. Her performance earned her the Best Supporting Actress award at the 50th Maharashtra State Film Awards.^[20] She subsequently appeared in the ensemble comedy Sanshay Kallol, opposite Pushkar Shrotri.^[21] A Prahaar critic noted her serious portrayal, adding that "she has made these situations golden."^[22]

In 2014, Deshpande's first release was Pune Via Bihar, alongside Umesh Kamat and Bharat Jadhav, in which she portrayed a Bihari woman who falls in love with a man from Pune.^[23] A Maharashtra Times review praised her performance in several scenes, although it noted that her Hindi occasionally sounded more Marathi than Bihari.^[24] The same year, she appeared in the comedy Aandhali Koshimbir, the adventurous thriller Mamachya Gavala Jaaoo Yaa, and Shrabani Deodhar's comedy Sata Lota Pan Sagla Khota, which received an average response.^[25][26]

Deshpande appeared in the anthology film Bioscope in 2015, in the segment Mitraa, directed by Ravi Jadhav.^[27] The segment was based on Sandeep Khare's poem Atasha Nakoshe Vatate and adapted from Vijay Tendulkar's acclaimed short story Mitra.^[28] Exploring the theme of homosexuality, Mitraa received critical acclaim and won the National Film Award for Best Short Fiction Film as well as an award at the KASHISH Pride Film Festival.^[29] That same year, she achieved her first major commercial success with the musical drama Katyar Kaljat Ghusali, directed by Subodh Bhave and based on the acclaimed play of the same name.^[30] Deshpande portrayed Uma, the daughter of classical singer Bhanu Shankar Shastri, who helps Sadashiv learn her father's musical tradition, alongside Bhave and Shankar Mahadevan.^[31] Both the film and her performance were well received by critics and audiences.^[32] Katyar Kaljat Ghusali grossed approximately ₹40 crore (equivalent to ₹60 crore or US$6.3 million in 2023), becoming the highest-grossing Marathi film of 2015 and one of the highest-grossing Marathi films of all time.^[33] Her performance also earned her several nominations for Best Supporting Actress.^[34]

She next appeared in Mahesh Manjrekar's drama Natsamrat, based on the acclaimed play of the same name by playwright Kusumagraj.^[35] Starring alongside Nana Patekar, Medha Manjrekar, Sunil Barve and Neha Pendse, she portrayed Vidya, the daughter of a celebrated theatre actor whose struggles with his behaviour strain their relationship.^[36] The film received widespread acclaim and earned approximately ₹50 crore (equivalent to ₹72 crore or US$7.5 million in 2023), making it the second highest grossing Marathi film of its time.^[37] Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India praised Deshpande's performance, writing that she "shows that she’s got so much untapped potential," and she also received nominations at the Filmfare Awards Marathi and Zee Chitra Gaurav Awards.^[38] She later earned a Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress nomination for her performance in Anuraag, a relationship drama she co-wrote about a married couple revisiting their past to rediscover their relationship.^[39] She played a supporting role in Chandrakant Kulkarni's Dhyanimani (2017), which received moderate success.^[40] Ganesh Matkari of Pune Mirror described her performance as "memorable", although he noted that her character disappears in the second half of the film.^[41]

2018–2020: Established actress and directorial debut

In 2018, Deshpande portrayed Kesar, an informer who secretly helps the Maratha soldiers capture Panhala Fort, in the historical drama Farzand.^[42] The film, the first instalment of Digpal Lanjekar's Shri Shivraj Ashtak film series, was a commercial success, grossing approximately ₹10 crore (equivalent to ₹13 crore or US$1.4 million in 2023).^[43] She next starred opposite Suhas Joshi in Bogda, a film that explores the complex and deeply emotional bond between a mother and daughter.^[44] The film received critical acclaim and was screened at several film festivals.^[45] Deshpande also appeared in Viju Mane's Shikari, playing a small-town aspiring actress who dreams of making it big in the showbiz industry.^[46] The film received negative reviews for its storyline and adult-oriented comedy.^[47][48]

She had four releases in 2019. She reunited with Mahesh Manjrekar for the biographical drama Bhai: Vyakti Ki Valli, based on the life of Purushottam Laxman Deshpande, in which she appeared briefly as his first wife, who dies a week after their marriage.^[49][50] She subsequently featured in 15 August, produced by Madhuri Dixit and released directly on Netflix, alongside Rahul Pethe and Adinath Kothare.^[51] The film received a mixed response.^[52] Her other release that year was the romantic drama Miss U Mister, opposite Siddharth Chandekar, which explores the challenges faced by a couple in a long-distance marriage.^[53] Preeti Atulkar of The Times of India praised Deshpande for displaying "a gamut of emotions with utmost ease"; her performance earned her the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress and a nomination for Best Actress at the 5th Filmfare Awards Marathi.^[54]

In 2020, she made her directorial debut with the romantic comedy Mann Fakiraa, which she also wrote.^[55] The film follows a newly married couple who discover that they remain in love with their respective former partners. Her direction and the film's unconventional premise received praise, with Soumitra Pote of ABP Majha calling her choice of a complex subject for a debut "a bold move" and noting that she had "pulled it off".^[56] Despite its promotion, the film failed to make a significant impact at the box office.^[57]

2021–present: Streaming and supporting roles

The following year, she appeared in supporting roles in the Hindi action thriller The Power and the acclaimed Marathi drama Karkhanisanchi Waari.^[58] She also made her web-series debut in both Hindi and Marathi with Planet Marathi OTT's Soppa Nasta Kahi, alongside Abhijeet Khandkekar and Shashank Ketkar.^[59] Wider recognition followed with her role as Dr. Sujata Ajawale in the medical thriller series Mumbai Diaries, alongside Mohit Raina and Konkona Sen Sharma.^[60] Her character, a young doctor confronting caste discrimination and professional adversity while advocating for her patients, appeared in both seasons released on Amazon Prime Video.^[61] The performance was particularly praised in the second season, with Mayur Sanap of Rediff describing her as "emotionally volatile" and noting that she made a lasting impact in one of the season's best-written roles.^[62]

Deshpande went on to portrayed Dolly, the wife of Daulatrao (Adinath Kothare), in Prasad Oak's romantic political drama Chandramukhi (2022).^[63] The film centres on Daulatrao's relationship with Tamasha dancer Chandramukhi, played by Amruta Khanvilkar. It received critical and commercial success, earning about ₹24 crore (equivalent to ₹25 crore or US$2.6 million in 2023) and becoming the fifth highest-grossing Marathi film of 2022.^[64] Deshpande's performance was well received, with Shubham Kulkarni of Koimoi describing the role as one she could "cakewalk", while Sameer Ahire of Movie Talkies stated "how effortlessly she does it and how convincing she is in every scene."^[65][66] She won several accolades for the role, including her second Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Alongside these projects, Deshpande continued her association with the Shri Shivraj Ashtak series, reprising Kesar in Sher Shivraj (2022) and Subhedar (2023), following her appearance in Fatteshikast (2019).^[67] All three films were critical and commercial successes.^[68] In 2023, she portrayed Lata Mangeshkar in Kedar Shinde's musical biographical film Maharashtra Shahir, which received a moderate response.^[69] She subsequently played the wife of Sudhir Phadke in the musical biographical film Swargandharva Sudhir Phadke, which had an average theatrical run.^[70] She starred in, directed, and wrote the romantic drama Tu Bol Na in 2015, which was initially released under the title Mana Che Shlok.^[71] However, the title was later changed following severe backlash and protests, which also affected the film's box-office collection.^[72] Santosh Bhingarde of Sakal praised the film, stating, "She has beautifully depicted the complexities of the mind, emotions and morals of the current generation."^[73]

Television

Theatre

• A Fair Deal (2015)^[116]
• Labhale Amhaas Bhagya (2015)^[117]

Web series