'I have not shown my tits or ass'

'...and still managed to grab the attention of audiences.'
'Your work speaks more than your body.'

Aahana Kumra, who played a spunky woman in Lipstick Under My Burkha, plays another bindaas lady in Yours Truly, the film released on the ZEE5 streaming platform.

"On a daily basis, I get offered shows that have some sexual character in it, where she has to show her boobs, butt-crack, and so on. Just because I did Lipstick Under My Burkha, it doesn't mean that's the only role I will do," Aahana tells Rediff.com Contributor Ramesh S.

Tell us about your character in Yours Truly.

I play Lali Kumar, the younger sister of Mithi Kumar, played by Soni Razdan. Although there is an age-gap between the sisters, we are more like friends. Mithi depends emotionally on Lali who is very progressive and loud in nature.

Lali is very bindaas, so it's very close to me in real-life. It wasn't difficult to bring my own personality into this character.

I remember when I was meant to shout for my scenes, all the women there were looking at me in some weird way as I was talking about periods and sex in a more than 300-year-old house. I really enjoyed those moments. It was fun to scandalise them.

Yours Truly was screened at the Busan film festival. What was the reaction there to your film?

It was truly fantastic! The film talks about loneliness, and I have observed that women in most Asian countries are lonely.

Lots of women came alone to watch the film, and they spoke about loneliness in a way that I would never have imagined.

When you visit such film festivals, then you tend to change your thinking that such things only happen in India.

When people there shared their personal stories, I realised that we are not far away from them. Loneliness is that kind of phenomena where you can be in a crowd and still feel lonely.

In today's WhatsApp generation, you want instant blue-ticks and fume if someone doesn't reply to your message.

Yours Truly tells you to be patient and makes you understand that there are people like this in the world.

Your role selection is interesting -- Lipstick Under My Burkha, then a Web series like Rangbaaz, Yudh where you played Amitabh Bachchan's daughter.
Do you consciously select projects or characters?

I don't think I am consciously selecting anything. Roles are selecting me instead. I feel truly lucky about this, and feel the same after working with my co-actors and directors. They are the best people I have worked with so far.

I remember the number of rehearsals that Bachchan Sir used to do before giving his shot. I couldn't believe that such a megastar was doing so many rehearsals. I was stunned witnessing that. Because we did so many rehearsals, our final shot was done in just one or two takes.

Likewise, Soni ma'am, who is a beautiful co-actor to work with. Our scenes in Yours Truly aren't directed because we were just in the flow.

We were given a context and got carried away spontaneously. Nowhere did the director say 'Cut' or 'Don't say this dialogue'.

The same goes for Rangbaaz. I feel truly lucky that everything is just flowing in its own way.

And this is another reason why I select such roles, because I am getting a chance to do something new and different.

There's no point in being an actor if I am not getting a chance to do something different. Why should I constantly be the same, look the same or act in the same way on screen?

I need to play different characters to grow in my career. I am actually working to become Naseer Sir (Naseeruddin Shah) or Ratna Pathak Shah or Surekha Sikri or Bachchan Sir who still works and plays different kinds of roles at this age.

I should start working right now for that and can only earn my roles if I do them well.

Talking about Naseeruddin Shah, you worked with him in Sona Spa.

Makrand (Deshpande) sir called me to do a role in it. The fun of doing this film was that there was no script. I loved being part of it. It was so much fun!

What's your take on the Web series phenomenon?

I have stayed away from most of it. On a daily basis, I get offered shows that have some sexual character in it, where she has to show her boobs, butt-crack, and so on.

Just because I did Lipstick Under My Burkha, it doesn't mean that's the only role I will do.

I am very proud of my work that I have done in the last one year where not a single role of mine is a repeat of my previous character.

I have not shown my tits or ass in those roles and still managed to grab the attention of audiences.

Your work speaks more than your body.