Exclusive! Aaditi Pohankar: I believe She season 2 is a romantic script, classic Imtiaz Ali style

Seen in two back-to-back projects, Aaditi Pohankar is enjoying the fame Aashram 3 and She season 2 has brought her. The actress, who is now finally taking a breather, took some time out to talk to OTTplay about her two projects, what life looks like now and what she wants ahead. Excerpts from the interview…

What has the response for She season 2 been like?

I don't know what to say. The biggest achievement for me, Imtiaz (Ali) sir and everyone on the show came in a mail recently. Women are saying they understood the power within them. Kudos to Imtiaz Ali. Being a man, he has written the script in a way that women are saying it helps them realize the power they have. For me, performing this character was very difficult but yes, I can't get happier than I am right now.

The way it has ended, it comes a whole circle in a way. Bhumi has become the new Nayak. Can the viewers expect more seasons of the show?

I seriously hope that we would expect another season. We don't know yet. Netflix and Imtiaz sir would take a call. If She season 2 remains on top for another, then I believe we might have something. There's scope that Bhumi will become something more. Let's see if there's another season because I'll be more than happy to do it.

We all missed seeing Vijay Varma in the season to an extent. Did you miss working with him?

Yeah, 100%. We had so much fun working on the first season because we were both new. He had just shot Gully Boy. It was an amazing experience. This time, Bhumi's character is only so intriguing that I had a lot of fun while performing. I had started romancing Bhumi's character itself. She has Durga and is growing now. Sasya was a part of her life in the initial stages. There are some eve-teasers who make you realize that if you can slap them then you know your own power. He was there to light the fire and now it became a phoenix that came out of the fire.

Explain to me the last scene. In my mind, as much as I love the fact that Bhumi has taken back control, it is quite contrasting to the title and the initial plot because Bhumi embraced being a woman through the show and then, she got into the male attire to exhibit power? And while I say this, on the other hand, I remember Bhumi showing traits of a man. Was this just an extension of that? How would you describe that scene to me?

Why Bhumi behaves asexual is because she's just not bothered. She has been tortured and tormented to the extent by a man (her ex-husband) that she has started believing when people tell her that she is a man.

She actually tries to tell Nayak also that she has been told so many times that she is a man that she agrees with it. Somewhere, she tries to tell him that she has fallen in love for the first time. When she decides that she fell in love, she tells Nayak 'ab aa gayi na, aur kitna aana baaki hai?' She has completely surrendered to him. He said back then that the kind of man he is, he wouldn't keep her alive till she's of use to him. He however also says that he's a man who will try and he does try. Bhumi becomes his partner in crime for real.

The beauty of Bhumi is that she won't kill her sister, which is when she eventually switches and kills him instead. She realized that it is the only time she has been in love. This is the only time she fell in man-woman love. It is a romantic script, I believe. It's an Imtiaz Ali classic. There's a dark turn to it but there's a romantic angle to it.

Bhumi says, 'Mujhe woh mil jaata hai jo main sach mein chahti hoon.' It is the love she was looking for. Unfortunately, she has to kill Nayak because otherwise, he would kill her.

The story behind Bhumi wearing the clothes is - she becomes Nayak. She cannot let go of him which is why her hair, check shirt and pants are exactly like him. Somewhere uska ansh usme reh gaya hai. She has partly become Nayak, in a way.

You worked with Shoojit Sircar early on in your career but for ads. Then you worked with Imtiaz Ali on She but he was only the writer of the show. You gained a lot of meaningful experience for sure but are you at a stage where you can say that these big directors want to work with you in their films as a lead actress. I'm talking about the big screen. Do you believe you have come to a stage where they want to cast you as the lead actress opposite a star or even an actor and release that film in theatres?

I spoke to Imtiaz sir also. I asked him about OTT and films. He also told me that he doesn't understand the difference because we are working as hard and we're the same people who made films. He doesn't understand the funda either.

I see a Kate Winslet in a movie as well as in shows. People are asking me this because I haven't worked in films. When you look at Saif Ali Khan, he has worked in films as well as in Sacred Games. So, it is always a script that an actor is attracted to. It's the same for me.

I ask the makers only and they tell me that I worked more than a hero does because it is almost like I shot three films together. Aashram had even more episodes and so does She. So, I was headlining a whole film here on OTT.

It is even tougher to keep the audiences' attention in the household. In theatres, you sit and watch a film and then discuss the film when you come outside. With OTT, on the other hand, the format is so demanding that actor, director, producer, everyone is on fire.

Good actors are shining now, which is a very good thing, for people like me who have just come from theatre who want to work with people like Imtiaz Ali, Shoojit Sircar or Sujoy Ghosh.

This was almost like my test. They have seen that I can perform and now they're very sure of me, even more than what they would find in an audition. After working on OTT, I might be able to work in films very easily.

I had worked in Lai Bhaari too. Life on film sets is easy compared to OTT. It feels like you aren't working there.

OTT is not like a TV serial either. You have to deliver a performance at par with anybody in Hollywood. The show is going on Netflix, which is at par with a Hollywood project. People are sub-consciously comparing She with, say, Inventing Anna. It doesn't mean you let it impact your performance but there is more effort on OTT and time is less.

I would rather ask the film cast and crew to work on OTT and see how tough it is. I would go and work on films for sure then.

Sangram Singh had trained you for your role in Aashram. Now, there's a big event in his life. He is getting married. Were you guys in touch? Are you invited? Do you want to spill some details?

Sangram sir is very close to me. He taught me something that I will never forget – self-defence. He would keep suggesting me a diet. Even now, when I think about eating bread, my mind instantly focuses on eating an apple instead. He's a sportsman and so am I. We would train on the beaches. I'm very grateful to him. He taught me wrestling in literally four days. So, I'm very happy that he's found someone in life.

You are an athlete and have a whole history - your family is also an athlete. So, did acting come more naturally to you or was it by chance?

Both the things are there. My parents are very enterprising people. I happened to become a runner because I wanted to expand my skills at a young age. Since it was received positively, I continued with it. My father was also a theatre actor. It was his hobby. He and my grandmother both were theatre actors so we even spoke about plays at home. Classical music and theatre were spoken about at my house because my uncle is a renowned artist too. While these talks always happened around me, I never thought I would become an actress. I lost my mother when I was 15 so I tried out acting then. I met Makarand (Deshpande) sir and asked him to cast me in his play. That is when my journey began as an actor. It is when I realized that is what I want to do and so, I gave it a lot of time and effort, to the extent that it is now second nature to me. I'm very passionate about the craft. I love performing now.

Aaditi, what is your current frame of mind? Where do you want to be in life right now?

It is the rainy season and I want to work on romantic films. Bhumi and Pammi are such strong characters but now, I feel I should also have fun while I'm still young. When I'm working, my phone is off and I'm cut off from pretty much the whole world. After so many years, I'm suddenly exploring Instagram now. I would want to do romantic, comedy, slice-of-life films with Zoya Akhtar, Shoojit Sircar, Sujoy Ghosh, Raju Hirani.