Adah Sharma | Known for her stellar performances in 1920, Hasee Toh Phasee and Commando, Sharma has left ber mark in the industry. She speaks with Musba Hashmi about her experience in the industry and upcoming projects

Why choose The Holiday to make a debut in the digital space?

There are a lot of things in mind when one says yes for a project. The concept of this series was different. No one makes a show or series with one girl going on a trip with three boys. We had films like Dil Chahta Hai, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Veere Di Wedding but it was either based on boys or girls. I also go with my intuitions. The moment I heard the script and got to know about my character — Mehak, I was sure of playing it. I had never played a fun-loving girl. Also, the platform on which it was going to be aired — Zoom Studios, left no reason to turn down this project.

How was the experience working with Priyank Sharma?

The first day I met the three boys — Priyank, Veer and Aashim we all were quiet and shy. But within a couple of hours we started talking and dropped all our inhibitions because we found out that all of us are half mad people.

We started off as strangers, but we got comfortable with each other and it looked like as if we were friends since childhood. The one quality that we all found out about each other was we were non-judgemental people and easy to get along with. This helped us more. On day two, all the three boys bro-zoned me and I was a boy from that day.

How did you come on board for 1920?

I gave an audition for it. The role was of a possessed girl. The team called me for a look test after the auditions as they were not very convinced that I can look Anglo-Indian. They thought that I was too Indian to look like a foreigner. Originally, the role was of a north-Indian girl but because they liked my audition they made it look like half Indian and half foreigner.

A lot of people didn’t recognise me in the film. We had to do a lot of prosthetics for the role. But, that was a good start for me because immediately after my first film people believed that I was a good actor. I am fortunate that I could prove myself with my first film.

Does playing a supernatural character affect you in any way?

There were 30-days straight action scenes where we had to use harness and other stuff. It gave me bruises. But, mentally it did not affect me much. Though, one day I had a very weird dream. In the movie, there was a pillar climbing scene where I am climbing the pillar backwards. With the help of computer graphics we did that and people said that I was looking like a lizard. And in my dream too, I saw a lot of lizards and it was very weird. So, when you are shooting such things for 14 hours a day it does have some impact on you. Also, shooting such things does not come easy. For instance, say a scene is that you are alone in a deserted haweli but actually there are almost 40 people standing right in front of you and watching you. Therefore, to pretend that you are alone and to do that convincingly is a big task.

Did you always want to act?

I was good at acting, but I was more inclined towards my studies. By the time I came to Class XII, I decided not to go to college and pursue acting. I don’t know what I was thinking then but if I had some rational thoughts, I wouldn’t have done it. I didn’t have any clue of the field back then. If I had, I wouldn’t have become an actor.

Does that mean you are not enjoying being in the industry?

No, I am enjoying every bit of acting and being in the industry. But sometimes you feel that if you had known something about the field you would not have chosen it. However, I am lucky that people are accepting me. It is liking jumping off a cliff. If you think about it, you won’t do it.

A role that you would say no to?

I have done a variety of roles. There is no role that I would turn down. I am an intuitive person. So, if my intuition says that something is right for me I just take it up.

What is there in the pipeline?

I am doing Commando 3 opposite Vidyut Jamwal. I am also doing Man to Man, where I am playing a male character. Then, there is Bypass Road where I play Radhika.