Actress Vaishali Arora, who is currently seen playing Riya in Star Plus‘ Udne Ki Aasha, produced by Rahul Kumar Tewary and Rolling Tales Production, opens up about the similarities she shares with her character, the emotional connection she has developed with Riya and the audience’s reactions to the character’s changing behaviour after the leap.
Talking about what makes Riya special, Vaishali says, “I think Riya is funny; she has a heart, she is smart, intelligent and extremely expressive. There are quite a few similarities between her and me. The way she reacts, her instincts and the way she expresses her emotions are very much like mine. I am not emotional all the time, but when I am, my emotions are at their peak. She genuinely loves people, is honest and does not overdo things. There are so many facets of her personality that I relate to.”
“Until the leap, Riya was a positive and funny character who would mostly receive love from the audience. So, when people started messaging me, asking why she was not being friendly with Sailee and why she had become so serious, it really got to me. I was flooded with such messages, and I felt quite affected. When you play someone for so long, the character slowly becomes a part of you, and you become emotionally invested in how people perceive them,” she shares.
Talking about her approach to performing, Vaishali says, “I believe that when you understand a character well, you can perform more instinctively. Being familiar with the story and knowing your lines give you the confidence to respond naturally to a scene. I also appreciate the creative freedom we get on set. Sometimes, even a small change in movement or finding a more natural way to deliver a dialogue, can make a scene better. When we share our thoughts with the director or writer, they understand our perspective and give us the freedom to explore.”
Interestingly, Vaishali describes herself as someone who does not like being confined to a particular image. “Personally, I am slightly rebellious. Whenever I feel people are putting me into one particular personality or assuming I am a certain way, I want to break away from that. But with Riya, I have only gratitude because she is such a beautiful character and has received so much love. Familiarity can sometimes become limiting, but there is always an opportunity to explore something different,” she concludes.
