Actor Sandhya Mridul’s poetry collection ‘Untamed’ lets in on her battle with grief

Actor Sandhya Mridul has never shied away from breaking boundaries. When she began acting on TV, she took on roles like Kajal in Ekta Kapoor’s show Koshish–Ek Aashaa, who gets tricked into marrying a man with a mental disability. She was also labelled ‘bold’ for her decision to be a part of Hubahu, where twin sisters Aditi and Ananya (played by Mridul) exchange their lives for a week. 

Within no time, the actress became typecast as a ‘badass’ for being unconventional. She continued her innings in cinema with films like Saathiya and Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd, achieving commercial and critical acclaim. 

As someone hungry for more experiences, she dabbled in dancing and became the runner-up on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Season 2. Mridul also appeared in the cricket commentary show Extraaa Innings during the 2003 Cricket World Cup. She also made her debut as a comedian with a solo show ‘Ridiculous Ms. Mridul’ in August this year. 

Now, the actor is dabbling in poetry. Her collection of poems Untamed was recently launched in the presence of another powerhouse, legendary actress Shabana Azmi, at the 6th edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival. Her friends, TV host, actor and author Maria Goretti and filmmaker, screenwriter and editor, Leena Yadav also joined her to commemorate this milestone. 

The book is a fitting tribute to Mridul’s untameable spirit that refuses to be chained by the shackles of society. 

“The name Untamed certainly comes from my untameable spirit. It is for every other man, woman, child, or anyone else who resonates with that spirit, who loves their freedom to speak, express, create and feel in every way possible,” she tells YS Life. 

In a candid chat, Mridul talks about the motivation for her book and her journey of being free-spirited. 

Edited excerpts from the interview: 

YS Life (YSL): What was the inspiration behind this anthology of poems? 

Sandhya Mridul (SM): This book is me, channelling my emotions. I asked my heart how it felt, every piece told me a different story. And I pieced it all together—the heart and its stories that made me who I am. 

As I worked through love, loss, pain, grief and all things hard, I was always inspired by life, just wanting to feel it all, feel everything. And keep it real in this exploration and never give up. 

Untamed is not poetry, it's just a palpable journey in words. 

YSL: Was being an author ever a part of your plan? 

SM: Being an author never featured in any plan. It's only in the past two years that many of my friends and family started saying I should think about it. Before last year, it wasn’t even a dream and suddenly it took over. This year, I decided to put it together and bring this book out. 

YSL: Do you believe the fire to be a poet was always brewing within you, even if you didn't discover it? 

SM: I can't say how long it took…because poetry builds inside you for many years before it comes out on paper. It struck me about a decade ago but I actively started writing a few years back. I collated everything only last year. 

Since it's a journey, it's not something that can be produced overnight. It is something that has grown with me and finally, the pen has touched paper. 

YSL: Since it brings forth so many facets of your personal life, it must have been a very well-thought-out decision…

SM: I have always been a private person but I believe today we are a part of collective grief…I am not the only one experiencing it. People need to talk about it, express it, and also know that we are all going through it. 

I don't know if it was about being brave. It wasn't a conscious decision but it did take a lot out of me to share all of this. But I feel it's for the benefit of everyone and to encourage everyone to freely express themselves without fear of judgement. 

YSL: Who all have inspired your creative journey?

SM:  I have been inspired by Maya Angelou, Sylvia Plath, and my late brother. 

YSL: Why did you choose the Dehradun Literature Festival to release Untamed? 

SB: Dehradun is a city I've loved very much, and the Dehradun Literature Festival was the first to approach me. I felt it was meant to be. I am a very spontaneous person, I don't think too much. It felt good and right, so I did it.