Aaliya Shah plays a special investigating officer in Black, which is aired on 9X

Is ‘Black’ your first serial as an actress?

It is my first Hindi serial as an actress. I had earlier acted in the English serial Bombay Talkies which was on air on Zee Café.

You bear a striking resemblance to actress Manisha Koirala!

Though I have managed to have an identity of my own now, initially when people used to tell me that I looked like Manisha Koirala, I used to get irritated because I felt that I was losing my identity when I was compared to Manisha though I did feel flattered at the same time with the comparison because she is a good actress.

Tell me about your background.

After spending my childhood in Kalimpong in Darjeeling, I was in Delhi for quite some time. It was seven years ago that I left Delhi and landed in Mumbai. I even did a hotel management course in Mumbai and joined Jet for a month, when I realised that I was not cut out for a job as such. For some time I went to Bangalore and was part of an English theater group.

Go on...

The acting bug bit me more and I decided to leave the theater for the small screen and landed in Mumbai, where I did quite a few ads and music videos. A chance meeting with the ace photographer Jayesh Sheth changed the course of my life. Jayesh suggested my name to Sunil Agnihotri, who is directing Black and I landed the plum leading role in the serial.

What is ‘Black’?

Black, which is on air on 9X, to put it in just a nutshell is the journey into the unknown dark world that exists around us, and is the story of pure evil’s thirst to take over human lives. The serial revolves around the story of two special officers Ranvir and Aaliya, as they chase an awakened demon. The serial is being shot in exotic locales of Diu, Shimla and Mahabaleshwar.

What is your role in ‘Black’?

I play Aaliya, a special investigating officer, who works in tandem with Mamik, who plays the role of Ranvir. We discover the existence of a demon when we come across a case where a 12-year-old boy is the common link between several, unexplained deaths. It is mystifying to note is the fact that this demon has the ability to pass from body to body and destroy everything that comes in its path and can possess any one, whether it is a child, a priest, a protective m other or a psychotic man.

How tough is your role for you as an actress?

I confess that initially I did find my role quite tough and intimidating as an actress but both Sunil Agnihotri and Mamik were helpful, especially when I had to do some scenes where I had to break down.

For a new comer, you seem to be too choosy since ‘Bombay Talkies’ was on air almost two years ago. Why?

I do not want to do each and every serial that I am offered. I did get quite a lot of offers to do saas-bahu serials but I did not want to do them because I have always craved for challenging roles. It is very easy to do a saas-bahu serial but quite tough to take up a serial like Black.

What do you think is very essential for a new comer to click in this industry?

To click in this industry as an actress, you need not only luck in an abundant measure but also the will to work hard, because I know for a fact that there is a lot of frustration in this field.

To what extent did your parents encourage you when you expressed your desire to take up acting?

My parents encourage me a lot though they are happy at all with my decision to pursue acting.

How happy are you with the  progress that you have made in your career till date?

I know I have a long way to go as an actress. But I am happy that when there are scores of young girls who are still struggling to get that elusive break in this field, at last I had acted in an English serial earlier and am working in a Hindi serial now.

 

 

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