For Angad Hasija, who is currently seen in Zee TV’s Tumm Se Tumm Tak, creative freedom isn’t about having complete control over a performance. Instead, he believes it comes from trust- trust that allows an actor to explore, improvise, and bring authenticity to every scene. The actor also feels that with such freedom comes an equally important responsibility towards the stories being told.
Speaking about creative freedom, Angad says the foundation of any good performance is mutual trust between an actor and a director. “For me, creative freedom is all about trust. It is that beautiful space where a director trusts my instincts enough to let me experiment,” he said.
For Angad, freedom doesn’t mean working without direction. It means not being restricted by rigid boundaries. “It means not being boxed into a rigid script or told exactly how to stand, look, or speak. True freedom is when I can bring my own homework to the table, adding a little quirk, a silence, or an unplanned emotion to a scene,” he said.
That freedom, he believes, often leads to the most memorable performances. “When you aren’t terrified of making a mistake on set, you take risks. And that is usually where the magic happens,” he said.
Beyond acting, Angad feels strongly about the kind of stories Indian entertainment chooses to tell. “It is incredibly important because India is not just one story,” he said.
He describes the country as a collection of countless cultures and experiences waiting to be explored. “It is a massive, colourful tapestry of thousands of stories. Every region has its own flavour, struggles, and beauty,” he said.
He believes repeating the same narratives over and over does a disservice to that diversity. “As artists, if we keep telling the same formulaic stories, we are doing a disservice to our heritage. Representing different cultures, languages, and backgrounds on screen makes our cinema rich,” he said.
More importantly, it allows audiences to see themselves reflected on screen. “It gives people from every corner of the country a chance to look at the screen and say, ‘That is my story,'” he said.
Over the years, Angad’s understanding of freedom itself has also changed. “Being an actor has completely changed how I look at these two concepts,” he said.
Early in his career, he believed freedom meant choosing the projects he wanted to do. “Early on, you think freedom is just about getting to choose your projects. You quickly realise that the camera gives you a massive platform, and with that comes a huge responsibility,” he said.
He believes actors influence far more than entertainment. “The characters we play and the stories we tell influence how millions of people think, feel, and treat others,” he said.
That is why his definition of freedom has evolved. “True freedom isn’t about doing whatever you want. It is about having the power to choose stories that entertain while also making the world a slightly better, more empathetic place,” Angad ended.
