For Sehaj Rajput, portraying Unnati in Zee TV’s Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile has been less of a performance and more of an emotional overhaul. Navigating a character who has survived the absolute worst of human cruelty—molestation, marital rape, and severe mental and physical torture at the hands of Vikrant—Sehaj opens up about the harrowing reality of playing a survivor, the polarising nature of revenge, and how the role has fundamentally changed her.
Speaking about the psychological toll her character has endured, Sehaj shares insight into the complex reality of deep trauma: “The fight for justice is quite interesting and bold, but it is incredibly difficult to explain and justify to people. When a person is as deeply traumatised as Unnati was, people naturally sympathised with her initially. But when you carry that agonising pain for such a long time, a strange thing happens—you get numb. Eventually, she reached a point where she stopped feeling the pain entirely.”
In the phase we live in today, a woman’s problems are unfortunately not taken seriously. I feel very blessed to go through this character’s journey and become a voice for a lot of women.
“She was molested, she endured marital rape, and she was mentally and physically tortured. She knows exactly what she faced, even if the world around her cannot fully comprehend the depth of those scars,” Sehaj exclaims.
Transitioning into a darker, more assertive space has been an intense experience for Sehaj, demanding both emotional depth and physical resilience. “I have been injured many times during this shoot, but I took it up bravely,” Sehaj shares. “I even felt completely claustrophobic when I had to be locked inside a trunk for a scene. Plus, I am not a saree person at all, so managing the attire while executing these intense sequences came with its own set of problems.”
The demanding television schedule pushed her to her limits. “I distinctly remember shooting 17 scenes in a single day. I had a severe headache and had to take two Disprins just to keep going. By the end of it, I had gone completely numb after performing such an emotionally heavy character.”
Despite the challenges, Sehaj feels deeply connected to the strength of her character’s arc and views it as a reflection of real-world struggles. “The arc of Unnati has been incredibly strong. In the phase we live in today, a woman’s problems are unfortunately not taken seriously. I feel very blessed to go through this character’s journey and become a voice for a lot of women. The role has taught me to use pain as a power. You can raise your voice and come out of a bad situation, but the truth is, those scars never really go away. Performing this made me wonder how women in real life face such tortures.”
The response from the audience has been incredibly rewarding. “I have been receiving messages from women saying that my portrayal is inspiring to them,” she concludes, grateful for the platform to essay such a fiercely resonant character.
