Aahana Kumra: If you’re hardworking, not stuck up about playing only lead roles, there’s enough work | Bollywood - Hindustan Times
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Aahana Kumra: If you’re hardworking, not stuck up about playing only lead roles, there’s enough work

ByShreya Mukherjee, New Delhi
Jan 28, 2021 12:01 AM IST

Actor Aahana S Kumra says she said yes to roles many rejected because she would rather keep her doors open, slowly climb up the ladder and be a working actor and not a waiting actor.

For Aahana S Kumra 2020 has been a happy year professionally with as many as five web releases that include Khuda Haafiz, Sandwiched Forever, Marzi, Rules of the Game and Betaal. The actor also won the Asian Academy Creative Award for Marzi in the Best Actress in a Leading Role category.

Actor Aahana S Kumra, who will be seen next in the Indian remake of Call My Agent, is in talks for a Bollywood project too.
Actor Aahana S Kumra, who will be seen next in the Indian remake of Call My Agent, is in talks for a Bollywood project too.

Grateful for the opportunities, love and recognition, Kumra shares, “There has been so much craziness and negativity in the industry this year, but I’m a shining example that even coming from a non-film background if you work hard, experiment and not stuck up about ‘Oh I only want to play a heroine’, there is enough work for you.”

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Being open to everything also worked in her favour. “I’ve always been a ‘yes person’. Very early in my career I’ve learnt that you need to say yes for the doors to open. There have been roles that many actors rejected but I’ve done. I prefer being a working actor than a waiting actor. If films, web or TV isn’t happening, I’ll do a play but I won’t sit at home,” she adds.

Next, Kumra is doing a play, in talks for a film and just finished shooting for her web project, which is an Indian remake of French show Call My Agent.

“OTTs have been backing talent and how. If they would’ve also started preferring stars then many of us would’ve been jobless. OTT has given us wings to fly or else we would’ve never got pivotal parts and only been playing sisters/friends to heroes/heroines in films for years. When I did Marzi, I realised for the first time how it feels to have the camera on you all the time. Me and Rajeev (Khandelwal) literally carried the show on our shoulders. And the recognition only validates our effort,” she shares.

Interestingly, she has been offered the lead part in the film she’s presently discussing.

“But they still have that dilemma about casting us. Also, they don’t write many roles for women. On web it’s not just about looking pretty or adding a star value. OTT on the other hand have well etched roles for all. And audience here are honest,” she adds.

Hoping and wishing for a pandemic free world, Kumra is looking forward to a fruitful 2021. “I’m up for more challenges, more transformational roles, more edge of the sit series, more films and collaborate with more female actors. On the personal life, I would like to settle down, start a family. But of course for that you need the right person,” she ends.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

Author tweets @Shreya_MJ

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