A NIT Warangal graduate, she left all for her dreams, was almost homeless before becoming an actress

Many actors leave the traditional corporate route after graduation to pursue their lifelong dreams. One such actress is Shreya Dhanwanthary. She began her journey in Telugu cinema but later moved to Mumbai to chase her passion for acting. Over the years, she has carved out a unique space for herself in the entertainment industry through perseverance, talent, and determination.

Shreya moved to the Middle East with her parents when she was just a few months old and spent most of her childhood in Dubai, Bahrain and Qatar. She later returned to India to pursue higher education and enrolled in the Electronics and Communication Engineering programme at NIT Warangal. While engineering offered a stable career path, Shreya knew her heart was set on acting and decided to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

From engineering classrooms to the spotlight

Unlike many actors who enter the industry at a young age, Shreya's journey began while she was still a college student. During her third year at NIT Warangal, she participated in the Femina South 2008 pageant and emerged as the first runner-up. The achievement gave her visibility and confidence, opening doors to opportunities in the entertainment world.


Soon after, she made her acting debut in Telugu cinema with Josh in 2009. She followed it up with Sneha Geetham in 2010. While these films helped her gain experience, the road ahead was far from easy.

A decade-long struggle

Though she had entered the film industry, success did not come overnight. In fact, Shreya would later reveal that it took nearly a decade for her to land her first Hindi film.

Speaking to Curly Tales during the promotions of Chup in 2022, Shreya opened up about how difficult the journey had been. She said that wanting to work in films once felt like an impossible dream and something she rarely spoke about because it seemed so unattainable. Even after achieving success, she admitted that she sometimes finds it hard to believe how far she has come.

During the same conversation, actor Dulquer Salmaan said, ""But you didn't take that long," Shreya clarified, "You had a 10-year career. I took 10 years to make my first film."

"Almost homeless" and struggling to survive

The actress also opened up about the financial and emotional hardships she faced while trying to build a career in Mumbai.

Recalling those years, Shreya told Curly Tales, "Don't ask me how I did it. I don't know how I did it. I don't know how I stayed here, how I continued staying here...not having the money, to almost being homeless, to stay hungry for a long time. I don't know how I did it, some sort of psychosis for sure."

Shreya Dhanwarthy's work front

Her persistence eventually paid off. Over the years, Shreya built an impressive body of work across films and digital platforms. She gained widespread recognition with her performances in the acclaimed web series The Family Man and Scam 1992. Both projects majorly expanded her fan base and established her as a strong performer in the OTT space.

She later appeared in films such as Looop Lapeta and continued to earn praise for her acting choices. Most recently, she was seen in The Great Shamsuddin Family, where her performance received positive responses from viewers and critics alike.