Sai Tamhankar: 'It's a very good era for actors like me'

Sai Tamhankar, whose latest release is the series 'Matka King', feels the industry is undergoing a new shift, with talent finally taking the spotlight. Tagging it "a very good era for actors like me," the actress says there are now "amazing opportunities."

"I think the generic norms, criteria, and set formulas are changing. You cannot place a set formula and say that, okay, this is going to be a sure-shot hit. Things have changed, and it is really nice. I think it's a very good era for actors like me. We have amazing opportunities," Sai told IANS.

Talking about how changing norms and evolving storytelling have opened doors for performers who rely on craft over conventional stardom, Sai shared: "I think when you know your job, people also understand that you know your job. And I think that is very interesting to watch and observe."

"So yeah, I think today, in this day and age, if you know your job well and you are honest about it, the honesty reaches. And yeah, it feels good because actors like me, Vijay Varma, Jaideep Ahlawat... they all are getting their dues. They're such wonderful actors, and I feel extremely happy and proud to be a part of this era," added the 39-year-old actress.

Talking about 'Matka King', the show also stars Vijay Varma, Kritika Kamra, Siddharth Jadhav, and Gulshan Grover in lead roles.

As per the synopsis, the show is set in 1960s Mumbai. The series traces the transformation of a humble, enterprising cotton trader into a powerful gambling don as he starts a new game called Matka, which takes the city by storm and democratizes a terrain previously reserved for the rich and elite.

Sai, who was in Sangli, Maharashtra, began her career in television with supporting roles in Marathi series like 'Tuzyavina' in 2003 and gained recognition with 'Ya Gojirvanya Gharat'.

The actress, who was a state-level Kabaddi player and holds an orange belt in karate, later appeared in the Hindi daily soaps 'Kasturi' and 'Anubandh'.

Sai stepped into Bollywood in 2008 with minor roles in Subhash Ghai's 'Black & White' and Aamir Khan's 'Ghajini'.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”