Mumbai is a city of ambition. It invites dreamers in, challenges them, and often breaks them before deciding whether they are ready to stay. For some, the journey is loud and fast. For others, it is quiet, layered, and deeply earned. Poonam Gurung’s story belongs to the second kind.
Young Poonam, with dreams in her eyes, came to Mayanagri Mumbai to learn dance. Acting was never part of the plan. Like many newcomers, she started where opportunities were available, working as a background dancer in the industry.
“I came to Bombay to learn dance, and then I started working as a background dancer,” she shares. At that point, her priority was not stardom; all she wanted was learning. She was trying to understand the industry, its rhythm, pressure and possibilities.
One Audition That Changed the Direction
Sometimes, change doesn’t arrive dramatically. It comes through a small push. For Poonam, it was a friend who told her to just try one audition.
“That’s when I discovered how much I enjoy acting,” she says. “I auditioned for a long time without any luck, until I got the short film ‘Chinese whispers’ and the Bangla film ‘Khoj’. It was refreshing because most roles written for Northeastern women then were limited and stereotypical, but this character was completely different. It changed my perspective as an actor.”
For the first time, she felt seen for her skills, not her appearance.
Facing Stereotypes Head On
Breaking into Bollywood is never easy, but for Poonam, the struggle came with an added layer. She was often called only when a role particularly needed a ‘North-east looking girl’.
The narrow lens of the industry could have easily boxed her in, but instead, it pushed her to look beyond one geography. She faced rejection one after another. Comments and assumptions came uninvited. There were moments when quitting felt logical.
“There were many times I nearly gave up. But Bangla films like Khoj and Nirontor, and Assamese films like Suspended Inspector Boro and Local Utpat, kept me motivated,” she shares.
Just Before Walking Away
Ironically, when ‘The Family Man 3’ came her way, Poonam was on the edge of walking away.
“I had almost quit,” Poonam says.
Then one day, someone watched her 9-year-old martial arts video, and that video carried her name all the way to one of the most loved web series.
Talent, it turns out, has its own timing.
What Next for Her?
Acting, for Poonam, remains central, but her creative identity goes much further. She is also a singer, with three original songs already released – two in Nepali, Chiso Chiso and Mutuko Chitra, and one in English, Slow & Steady. Her fourth song, Sapno ka Jahan, is set to release soon.
Furthermore, she is also a writer, having worked as an assistant writer with Bhaskar da. She has done fight choreography for the Assamese film Malamaal Boyz. She has directed music videos, and now she is preparing to direct her own short film, Bitter Cake, a story she has written herself.
Poonam’s story reiterates the fact that sometimes talent takes time. Sometimes it travels through unexpected routes. But when it finally finds its moment, it speaks for itself.
Must Read:
