‘I like taking risks’

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Adah Sharma speaks to Manasi Y Mastakar about making her digital debut, taking on bold roles and more…

You are making a digital debut with The Holiday. Please tell us more about it.

The Holiday is about a girl called Mehak who goes on her bachelorette trip with three of her best friends, who are are boys. Mehak is is crazy, funny and a lot of girls will identify with her and the ones who don’t would like to be like her.

Guys will like her because she is easy to get along with. She is mad like the way I am in real life. When Director Laksh Raj Anand cast me for the role, he wanted to bring a lot of real me into the character… the way I speak and think. It’s one of the most fun characters I have played.

What made you say yes to the series?

I did a short film called Moh two months back and got a huge response for it. And I realised web has a lot of good audience for the content.

When they told me about this series and what it’s about, it was something no one had done before: A bachelorette with three boys, which is a new concept. I thought it would be a nice one to debut with on an OTT.

A lot of actors are taking up web series. What do you feel is bringing this shift from films to web series?

I think the web has a lot of good content and a lot of great roles to offer. As actors, we are hungry for great stuff. For me, I was looking for something that I have not done before.

With films, I mostly choose serious roles because that’s not what I am in reality. People look at my Instagram and say you are a different person in real life from what we see you on screen.

So when I heard about The Holiday, the there was an instant connect because the character is a lot like what I am in real life, which made me say yes.

You are also doing a film called Man to Man, a comedy film on sex reassignment surgery. Quite a bold concept to take on. What would you say about it?

Yes, it was a really bold step for me to do a film like that. I like taking risks and I have been fortunate to get support from the audience — whether it’s making a fashion statement by wearing a newspaper print dress or making debut with a horror film like 1920.

The love the audience has given me is so much that it pushes me to make brave choices. When I said yes to Man to Man, I received a lot of encouragement.

I got a lot of messages from the LGBTQ+ community who said they were happy that I am doing such a role. After looking at the kind of support I am getting for the film, I feel that it’s not such a bold decision after all.

Please tell us a little more about the film.

Man to Man is a romantic comedy about a boy who gets married to a girl and then discovers that the girl, is actually a man; I play that man! It’s an entertaining and funny film. I think a lot of people will identify with, especially the ones who felt left out or got ragged, because they were different.

Also, tell us about your other film Commando 3 in which you will be doing some high octane stunts.

I am very excited about Commando 3. I am reprising the character of Bhavna Reddy from Commando 2. As a girl to be repeated in a franchise is very exciting.

In Commando 3, I get a chance to more action than what I did in the second part, because Bhavna, who has been training, is now ready for a mission. For the film, I trained in an Indian martial arts form called Selumbam.

I wanted to take up an Indian martial arts form because Bhavna is a South Indian girl and I wanted something closer to her culture. So the stick videos that I have been posting on Instagram were of Selambum that I am doing in Commando 3.

How was it working with Vidyut Jamwal who is so good in action?

Vidyut is one of the best in the county when it comes to action and I am glad to be in an action franchise with him because you know that it will be one of the best action films.

Vidyut is also a friend and we have worked in two films. It’s inspiring to see him flying around, doing those stunts and it pushes me to do an even better job with my action.

What next after this given that you have had a busy year so far.

This year has been busy. My Telugu film Kalki released recently and got good reviews, The Holiday is on air, Commando 3 will come out in September.

Then there is Man to Man, Bypass Road and two short films, one of which is Soulmate where I play a double role. There is a lot of exciting stuff happening which you will get to know soon.