Adaa Khan recently completed 13 years in the industry. The actress, who has been part of TV shows like Behenein, Amrit Manthan, Vish Ya Amrit: Sitara, Naagin and was also seen in Comedy Nights Bachao, and Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 10, has now stepped into the world of OTT as well as into audio shows. The actress lent her voice to Vaidehi in the Audible show, Hello Jaanu.
In an exclusive interview with News18, Adaa opens up about the challenges of being part of an audio show and why she took it up. She also talks about whether she has faced biases as a TV star, and whether she will be a part of the dance reality show, Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. Excerpts:
Firstly, Adaa, why did you give your nod to Hello Jaanu?
As an actor you always love to explore you know different things and want to do different things. I have never done anything with my voice or you know dubbed or done any audible show. To me it was a new, new platform. I wanted to experiment, definitely. It was for Amazon Audible and the story was really amazing. That is why I said yes.
This was a completely different medium. The audience has till now seen you, but here you had to express through just your voice. Did you find this experience challenging?
Anything that is challenging really excites me and the audience has always seen me on the screen. But now the difference is they are just going to hear me. So for me the challenge was that I have to make them imagine me playing Vaidehi. Aur bas awaaz se hi mujhe apne character ko, expressions ko portray karna hai jo main pehle apne acting se kar rahi thi (Now I have to play a character with my voice, which I was earlier acting out). It’s just now my voice completely. And that’s the challenge, because every expression that you do have – love, romance, anger – it’s all through your voice. So that was a challenge. And luckily for me, the whole team was there in the studios to guide us where I would have to modulate, what expressions to portray – the guidance was definitely there from the team which really helped me and I think I think it has come out Nice. So I just waiting for everyone’s feedback.
This medium of just listening to stories or just listening to dramas has been there even when TV was also not there. So I think it’s just coming back. People need a break from their screens sometime because we’ve all had have been stuck to our screens during COVID as well. So this is a different medium, they would want to just hear things and keep doing their normal work or travel. The audience will probably enjoy this because the show has comedy, suspense and romance. The audience will also kind of have their own imagination of every character. And that is fun. You will not just see them (the characters on the show) but you will imagine them your way. There is your freedom to imagine.
You have now completed 13 years in the industry as well…
I’m very happy where I’m right now. Even though I have taken small steps, they were important steps and that’s how I grew in the industry. And that’s how people love me and they connect with me and that’s what matters in the end of the day – the love that you get from the audience. Because we are all here to entertain them through different mediums. And it is an Audible show for me right now. It’s something new, it is something that I’ve never done. And it’s a whole new perspective of the audio storytelling so and after 13 years, you get to do something new. It makes you feel nice. So I’m definitely happy and I hope people like it also. I just want the same love that they’ve given me for my TV shows to be given to my Audible show as well.
A lot of people from the TV industry have spoken up about facing bias in the film industries. Have you ever had any such unfortunate incidents?
I think there are a lot of people who say that it is happening. But on the other hand, there are a lot of other people who are lucky enough to make a name in other platforms as well. So I wouldn’t say ki bias hai ya nahi hai (I won’t say if there is a bias or not). I see people getting a chance in Bollywood and doing well also. So I don’t think I’m the right person to reply to that question because I’m seeing it both ways, ki ho bhi rahe hai, log kar bhi rahe hai waha par (there is bias and people differentiate) and others who are facing this. It’s not fair for me to judge, because I see both sides. Aur biases sab jagah hote hain (biases are everywhere).
But, have you faced any such incident?
Any kind of bias? No, ya. The fact that they took me (in OTT) shows that they’re not biased so they wouldn’t be biased. They wouldn’t have taken me in the first place. And there are a lot of other actors who are doing OTT and who are doing movies, who are from TV backgrounds. So as I said that, you know, I wouldn’t say that ho raha hai ya nahi ho raha hai (it’s happening or it’s not happening) because people are getting work there as well. So I cannot comment on this question right now.
There have also been rumours that you’d be a part of Jhalak Dikhla Jaa…
I cannot comment on this question right now. I don’t know what to say because there is nothing as of now. Agar kuch hoga (if there’s anything), then I’ll definitely inform.
