The lovely Aahana Kumra’s bio on her Instagram page reads ‘Just keep swimming’. The actress says that she often feels like Dory from Finding Nemo, and the character’s popular dialogue is her motto in life as well. Aahana, who started her career with theatre and went on to make her television debut with Amitabh Bachchan in Yudh, is a household name with projects such as Agent Raghav, Official Chukyagiri, and Rangbaaz among others. She was also part of the 2017 sleeper hit Lipstick Under My Burkha and since then, has done movies such as The Accidental Prime Minister and Khuda Haafiz, as well as the Netflix horror-thriller Betaal.
Aahana recently stepped into comedy with Sony Liv’s Sandwiched Forever. We caught up with the vivacious actress to learn more about her acting journey…
You started your acting journey with theatre. How much did that help when it came to facing the camera?
A lot! When you work on stage, you are better equipped to work on set. The language on set has changed a lot. Everything has to be quick, so you have to be a lot more comfortable with performance. I have performed on stage and I understand where I can pitch higher or lower in terms of performance or when to dwell deeper into a certain space or cut away from others and work through chaos. In theatre, we were made to do our technical runs on stage during lighting, when there is so much noise all around and you are expected to deliver your lines without missing a beat. I have worked with directors such as Naseeruddin Shah, who are taskmasters. So, I was better equipped to handle a set or the chaotic pace.
You have done theatre, TV, films as well as OTT. How much does the platform matter when it comes to reaching a wider audience?
Communication has changed today. Look at how Pratik Gandhi’s career has taken off post Scam 1992. I’m so happy for him. He has been here for years, but post this show, he has got a film with a major production house. That doesn’t usually happen. You have to be exceptional. Popularity really does matter and that happens a lot with OTT. But having said that, his training came from theatre. I think he was waiting for the right chance and when it came, it was on OTT. My career path has been a little different. I got recognized and had opportunities coming my way post Lipstick Under My Burkha. I still feel I am waiting for something that’s going to hit the ball out of the park. I just have to be prepared for it when that happens.
You have worked with some extremely talented co-stars including Mr Bachchan, Atul Kulkarni and Ratna Pathak Shah among others. How much have they inspired you?
I’m a sponge! I watch them like hawks. I see how disciplined they are on set. I have chats about what time they wake up, what time they eat their food , and when they sleep. I try and grasp as much information as I can from them because that’s cinema knowledge for me. I don’t think artists should ever stop learning. The reason why Ratna or Atul are so good is that they have a childlike curiosity to learn and they work so hard. Do you think Mr Bachchan needs to arrive on time on the set? But he does! There is a reason they are still working and are still relevant for so many years. I don’t leave a single opportunity to see how I can incorporate that in my space of performance.
You tried your hand at comedy with Sandwiched Forever. Did you enjoy the experience?
Oh yes, we started shooting for it in August immediately after the lockdown got over. What was most exciting was that they shot it like a play. We used to do blocking and rehearsals one day and shoot some 15-16 scenes the next day. Thankfully, all the artists in the show are people I loved working with and all of them are from stage. I realized that comedy is all about timing. It is not easy. I am so glad the makers thought of me because I had got slotted as a serious actor. I think Atul and I were the only two actors who came from a serious space. I’m very happy that people are thinking of me in such a different light.
What are some of the things in the pipeline now?
I am doing the Indian version of the French show Call My Agent on Netflix. It’s about four Bollywood agents who manage the careers of Bollywood stars. Every episode has a new celebrity guest. Apart from that, I am reading scripts and testing for parts. I have said more ‘no-s’ than ‘yes-s’ because now I really want to move towards experimenting and take more risks.
QUICK TAKE
Current fav OTT show: Queen’s Gambit
Genre you want to try: I would love to do a sports film
Fav co-star: That’s a tough one – I love Naseer sir and Bachchan sir equally!
Director you want to work with: Imtiaz Ali, Vishal Bhardwaj, and Zoya Akhtar
Fav movie of all times: Up and Finding Nemo
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