Engineering To Entertainment: Passion For Storytelling Fuelled Snehil Dixit Mehra’s Journey

You may have seen her as Gillauri in Apharan or laughed at her comedic sketches as BC (Bheri Cute) Aunty, but did you know Snehil Dixit Mehra is an engineer by profession? Now a writer, content creator, actor, and director, her journey is truly adventurous. In a conversation with SheThePeople, Snehil Dixit Mehra shared everything you might be wondering about her and even more. 

From Engineering To Entertainment - Snehil Dixit Mehra's Journey

In a recent conversation, Mehra began by revealing her early aspirations, "I wanted to be a journalist, but my parents wanted me to have a professional degree, so I did my engineering from Bhopal. I had gotten the campus selected. I came to Mumbai in 2007 to join an IT firm, but I never did." She added, "My heart was in journalism, so I joined a news channel as an intern. But many of my contemporaries had experience and MassComm degrees, while I wasn't trained in the field."

When asked about her parents' reaction to her career shift, Mehra explained, "Initially, they were very worried about how I would survive in the entertainment world without a formal education in filmmaking. But my elder brother lived in Mumbai, giving me a place to stay, and my mother was very supportive. She said we should at least give her a chance."

Mehra's determination was evident as she recounted her journey, stating, "I'm a good daughter; I got married at the right time and had a child at the right time. But I never let my profession get out of my hands. I left everything and came to Mumbai for this.” Facing numerous challenges, Mehra's resilience shone through, “There have been challenges with navigating through multiple mediums, but I'm somebody who never gives up. I'm a quick learner, and I have survived."

From Television To OTT To Social Media: Passion For Storytelling

Her transition into different mediums of storytelling began with television. "I joined the television industry, and television was thriving at that time. I did multiple shows and made a career as a creative director and freelance writer," Mehra explained. 

With the rise of OTT platforms, she transitioned to digital media, working on the successful series Apharan and eventually becoming an influencer. She said, "I was the creative director on Season 1 and I ended up doing a small part in the series at the request of my director." She further added, "And then I became a viral meme while working with ALT Balaji. My boss suggested I take it further by creating an influencer page and producing online content. So, I became an influencer while continuing my full-time role at ALT Balaji, heading content and producing numerous shows."

Her career took another leap when she joined Sanjay Leela Bhansali's team for Heeramandi. She explained, "In 2020–21, I found out that Sanjay sir was working on 'Heeramandi' and needed someone who could write and manage an OTT show. I joined the writing team, and during the process, he offered me the chance to direct a few scenes, ultimately making me one of the additional directors of the series. This was the culmination of 17 years of hard work."

"Comedy Is Risky"

Snehil once said, "Comedy is risky," and elaborated further in a conversation. "Yes, I completely stand by the statement that comedy is risky in today's times, because you don't know what will offend people. As a social media influencer, I've received instant feedback on my videos. People have commented that some content is political or hurtful. I've always been vigilant about what I post, promptly removing objectionable content. Recently, I made a funny comment about someone's clothing, but when people said it wasn't cool, I took it seriously and removed the video. Comedy is subjective, and staying relevant while not offending anyone is a challenge", she said.

Mehra Responds to Sunita Rajwar's Comments on Junior Artists' Treatment

Recently, Panchayat actor Sunita Rajwar highlighted the treatment of junior artists, shedding light on the conditions on television sets and emphasising the stark contrast in how lead actors and supporting artists are treated. In response to Sunita Rajwar's comments on the treatment of junior artists, Snehil Mehra shared her perspective: “I completely disagree with this, because in my experience, everybody, whether it's junior artists or actors in smaller parts or, for that matter, animals, nobody can be mistreated on a film set, because there are strict guidelines that have to be followed. While shooting with animals, children with junior artists, they have their unions in place, they have associations, they have a rulebook in place, and we have to abide by those rules."

She acknowledged that such issues might have existed in the past but emphasised, "I have been working for 16–17 years and have not witnessed anyone being mistreated due to the length of their role. This might have been a personal experience for her, but it’s not a widespread reality now."

On working With Sanjay Leela Bhansali & Sharmin Segal's Criticism

Mehra also shared her experience working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali,  "Working with Mr. Bhansali was the best experience of my life. As they say, experience is the best teacher. Sir has over 25–30 years of experience as a filmmaker and producer, and just being in his presence made me a better screenwriter. This was my directorial debut, and being mentored by the best in the country was a dream come true. It was almost like being in a film school, taking a master class in the front row, and getting paid for it."

Mehra also responded to Sharmin Segal’s ongoing criticism and trolling for her portrayal of Alamzeb in Heeramandi. She said, "Sharmin is being criticised for her part, which I have to say is part of being an artist. You are exposed to a larger audience and susceptible to feedback and criticism, and one must be ready for that. However, I am completely against the trolling culture. Trolling breaks a person's morale. I have been on the receiving end of it as a public figure, content creator, and actor, so I understand how it affects someone and their work. Unfortunately, in today's age, everyone has a voice through their mobile and can comment on anything they dislike."

She continued, "In Sharmin's case, a huge part of the audience loved her performance, praising her voice modulation and how well she fit the role. Unfortunately, the appreciation is often overshadowed by negative comments. Anyone working on that set gave their 100%, including Sharmin, who fit Mr. Bhansali's vision completely. Now it’s up to the audience whether they like the performance or not, but she was the ultimate choice he was looking for."

Mehra concluded the conversation by reflecting on her outlook describing her journey, achievements, and experiences. She shared, "Everybody who asks me how I am doing, I always answer, I’m surviving. So that's my outlook."