Sharvari Wagh on working alongside Alia Bhatt in YRF’s spy universe film: It is a big responsibility

Sharvari Wagh will be working alongside Alia Bhatt in Yash Raj Film’s female-led spy film, which she calls a big responsibility. The yet-to-be-titled film will see Alia and Sharvari play super-agents in the action entertainer. The movie will go on floors this year.

In March this year, YRF CEO Akshaye Widhani had officially announced their maiden female-led spy film. The YRF spy universe began in 2012 with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif-starrer Ek Tha Tiger, followed by blockbusters like Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), War (2019), Pathaan (2023) and Tiger 3 (2023).

Speaking about it, Sharvari told PTI in an interview, "It is an exciting time for women in the industry because roles are written for them. The fact that films like spy universe which were headlined by big superstars, and for me to be sharing screen with Alia Bhatt, who is a huge star, is a big deal and big responsibility.” Sharvari made her Bollywood debut with YRF's 2021 film Bunty Aur Babli 2.

The actor, who looks up to Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, and Bhatt as female action stars, believes it's about time that women took the lead in action films and set an example for the next generation. "I am fortunate to be part of a first-time thing (female led action film),” she said. “I am very proud to be part of such a film because I know a lot of young women and girls of every age group will watch a film like this. I am sure we will be able to inspire them because if not now, then when?”

Sharvari started undergoing extensive training for three-four months in action but little did she know that this was her audition test for the spy-film. "I didn’t know that I was auditioning for the film, I didn’t know that a female-led spy film was getting made. I had met Adi (Aditya Chopra) sir and he wanted me to train in action. This was more than a year ago. He wanted me to go to a particular class and asked to shoot my videos and action sequences. The first two months went in learning the basics. It is not as easy as Tiger Shroff makes it look like,” the actor recalled.

She added, "I used to send my videos to sir, and he would say, ‘This is great, this is good’. Later, I found out that it was basically an audition to see whether I can get an action body language, whether I can pull off action the way they want me to. I did a lot of rig work; I was put on a harness. So, it was an extensive action audition.”

The actor’s latest release, Munjya, turned out to be a success at the box-office, earning over Rs 32.47 crore since its release on June 7. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, the film also stars Abhay Verma and Mona Singh in pivotal roles.

Sharvari will also be seen next in Nikkhil Advani’s Vedaa alongside John Abraham.