Asheema Vardaan plays a character with multiple personality disorder in Abhay 2

Sheetal

Never say never! Anything is possible, and that’s what led Dev DD fame Asheema Vardaan to play a grey shade on screen, which she was initially unable to picture herself in.

“I had seen Season 1 of Abhay and found it too dark to even watch. And now, I am very much part of its Season 2. While transforming into Devika’s character in Dev DD was quite organic, for this one I had to attend a workshop. Thankfully, I have worked with Ken Ghosh (director) earlier and his trust in me helped me to push my boundaries.”

About her complex character, she says, “To play a character with multiple personality disorder, I was advised to refer to actors who have portrayed similar characters in the past. But, to be very frank, I wanted it to be an honest attempt from my side so that people would see something raw that hasn’t been depicted so far in a schizophrenic personality. And honestly, I was unable to identify with the person I saw on screen.”

Having assisted Ken in directing Dev DD, Asheema is also keen to learn filmmaking. A mass communication student from Chitkara University, she is familiar with Punjabi culture. Ask her if she would like to work in Punjabi cinema and she jumps to the idea of working with Diljit Dosanjh and Ammy Virk.

But the medium she wishes to focus on right now is OTT platforms. And the reason is not difficult to guess. “I enjoy the creative freedom one gets in this medium. I have done roles that are poles apart, all thanks to digital platforms.”

She spent the lockdown with family in Jammu. While it was fun at the outset, she admits how her parents tried to broach the subject of marriage to her and her elder sister. But what bothered her the most was the internet speed. She says, “It’s a worrysome situation for the students. Studying is definitely a problem because uploading a picture takes ages there.”