Ahsaas Channa has been on cloud nine since the third season of Mismatched was released. Not only has her character Vinny been loved, but her chemistry with Taaruk Raina’s Anmol has become the talk of the town. In an exclusive chat with Hindustan Times, Ahsaas talks about Mismatched season 3, her career so far, and what lies ahead. (Also read: Ahsaas Channa recalls how she was ‘forgotten’ by the industry)
On Mismatched 3 and Vinmol’s popularity
Many fans of the show say that ‘Vinmol’ have ‘won’ Mismatched season 3, emerging as the strongest character from the show. While Ahsaas downplays any internal competition, she is ecstatic about the positive feedback. “We hoped for it and were expecting a little bit of it. When we were shooting season 3, Taaruk and I had posted a picture together. And we had the most likes and comments on that. So, we figured through that that people are waiting for #VinMol when the show comes out,” she tells us.
In the age of social media, positive comments, hashtags, and endless Reels are instant gratification for many artists. But not Ahsaas. “I am, in general, a very insecure person,” she says, tentatively, adding, “I always feel ‘this is going to go away’. Since I am that kind of a person, there is no chance of letting it all get to my head. I don’t let it hardly reach me, let alone consume me. I don’t take it for granted. Whenever I get a lot of love, my instinct is to be grateful about it.”
The OTT boom
Ahsaas has been acting for 20 years, even though she is just 25. Yet, she says that the industry always manages to surprise her. “About 7-8 years ago, I had a clear path in my head that I would take a break from being a child actor, finish my studies, and return and become a Bollywood heroine. But then OTT happened. That platform did not exist ten years ago. So, I had never thought I’d be doing something called a web series and getting love for it,” she recalls.
On image as a child artist
She began her career as a child artist and actually played boys in a few films like Vaastu Shastra, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, and My Friend Ganesha. Ahsaas says there came a time when her mother decided to put a hard stop to it, fearing it may mess with a young girl’s head. She says, “I was always very aware of the fact that I am a girl. I was told multiple times that you are just acting and this is just a character you are playing. I used to go to school and lived my life as Ahsaas, so I was aware that this was all just in front of the camera. But still, because I was getting older and about to get into my teens soon, my mother did not want to mess with my head during puberty. It was the perfect time for me to stop doing those roles, take a break and return.”
Now, Ahsaas says she hopes to break into mainstream Bollywood soon, finally getting to live her ‘Hindi film heroine’ dreams. “That dream has always been there,” she says with a smile. And unlike many doubters, the young actor doesn’t see her OTT star image of child actor lineage as any obstacle towards it. “I don’t see any of this as a threat. It will only benefit me. People say if you are seen too much, you’re not a fresh face. But I believe you can only sell when you are seen. With so many projects, people can now see me as an actor and decide to cast me on my merit,” she sums up.