WHY THE PEHLA NASHA GIRL WAS NERVOUS ABOUT HUSH HUSH

‘People are talking about my character and about my performance. That is overwhelming for me.’

You know her as the Pehla Nasha girl. Ayesha Jhulka, who turned 50 in July, made her OTT debut in Tanuja Chandra’s thriller Hush Hush recently.

The actor, who has been a part of the film industry for about 30 years, is grateful for the OTT platform, “Our shelf lives have become longer.”

I loved Hush Hush, but for a thriller, it seemed a bit slow.

Your first instinctive reaction is ‘No, it’s not possible’.

We are in a jet age. We like everything very fast and just want to get to the end.

Many others may have felt the same.

I just loved the art house beginning. It was so beautiful!

It may be slow at times, but in the second and third episodes, it gets gripping.

This is much more than a crime thriller. It’s about the different classes of women and what they are going through, via their stories.

What a comeback! You play a victim, a human trafficker, a mother, a friend, a traitor...

It was Tanuja Chandra’s conviction that I could carry this off.

I was nervous because I have a girl-next-door image and this was definitely a challenge.

But we see very little of you in Season One.

When I heard Season One, I had a grasp of it. You have the vision of what’s going to come ahead.

You choose something even though your role may be less, in terms of screen time, but if it carries quality, it will be recognised by the cerebral audience.

The character is such that it has to unfold in Season Two to tell you more.

You were initially reluctant to sign Hush Hush.

Honestly, I felt it was too good to be true because there was Tanuja Chandra, Abundantia, Amazon Prime Video and such a layered character.

But then, as Tanuja took me through the journey, she put me at ease and I realised how stupid I was. I have been waiting for something like this, so why am I saying no?

The refreshing change is that people are talking about my character and about my performance. That is overwhelming for me.

I think it was super easy for me to understand what she wanted. It was as if she felt the same thing that I do.

Every time she would explain something, one felt connected with the characters. Obviously, you can’t be like those characters in real life but you have to go closer and think, what if this was me?

She explained very beautifully.

I thought my character would be difficult because it has layers and depth, it’s dark, so many things.

I was worried as to how to put all these things into a character.

In one minute, your face has to show fear. Then it has to show confidence.

It has to show hatred, it has to show smiles, tears...

This is first time you are working with a lady director.

Because it was a female director and the connection I felt with her, she would me at ease. She would explain even little things, and at times, even do it and show me. So it became easier.

When they say that there are catfights and uneasiness when two women work together, I don’t agree with that. These things degrade how women are perceived.