Sushmita Sen Reveals Why She Took 8-Year Long Hiatus: 'Didn't Feel Like I Was Challenging Myself'

Sushmita Sen is a force to reckon with not just in Aarya, but given the way she conducts herself and her journey in the industry has been. For an actress so poised and fierce, a role that justifies and embodies her persona is a tough find. But crime-thriller Aarya changed the course of Sushmita Sen’s filmography. Her comeback with the show after an 8-year hiatus opened doors of endless fame and awards for her.

Sushmita Sen, in a virtual session of the ongoing 21st Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, spoke about the reason why she stepped away from films. She also said that she didn’t feel like she was challenging herself.

Speaking about her lead role in the International Emmy-nominated show Aarya (2020), Sushmita added, “It is one thing to have a cliffhanger at the end of an episode, and quite another to have your audiences feel the desire to watch a second or third season. It hasn’t been easy.”

The trailer for Aarya Season 3 was released last month. It’s a season in which Aarya Sareen, played by Sen, suffers a gunshot wound, in a scene that was shot just a month after the actor suffered a massive heart attack in February.

Speaking about the scene, Sushmita said, “When Aarya gets shot and falls to the ground gasping, in a crazy way it was reel and real life coming to a beautiful cathartic unison. I think it was a whole new beginning for me… personally and for Aarya on screen.”

Speaking about her 8-year-long break and stepping away from films, the actress revealed that she was unhappy doing the same stereotypical roles and didn’t feel like she was challenging herself. And, with this series, Sushmita said she was introduced to the 360-degree style of filmmaking- ‘More realistic, with long takes and far fewer cuts’.

“I felt like a newcomer, attending 14-hour workshops and coming home late and loving every bit of it… I am glad I listened to my heart, even if it meant walking away from films. I stepped away and unlearned, learned, and came back with Aarya.”

Shedding light on her heart attack, the actress called it a ‘learning curve’, one that reminded her that she had a lot to do. “We all have a deadline but the fact that February 24 wasn’t my deadline means there is a lot to be done still, and what a driving force that is to know.”

Sushmita was also seen in Taali, the drama series where she played the role of activist Shreegauri Sawant. While she played the role to the bone, she said tha the role gave her new energy and a fresh force. “The minute I said yes to it, I knew I would also be the voice of a community,” Sen said. She recalled sitting for the first-look test, where the make-up artists added longer sideburns and a slight stubble. “As an actor that was the first time I looked at myself and said, ‘Wow, I have come of age’.”

Sushmita is working on three projects: a theatrical release and two OTT releases. “As an actor who loves cinema, I believe that both (formats) are here to stay,” she said. While she hopes to stay platform agnostic, she added, she is also looking forward to working on commercial projects, especially comedies that appeal to a wider audience.