Eshaa Pathak: Verticals are more hectic than TV shows

Eshaa Pathak, who was last seen in Rishton Se Bandhi Gauri, is currently busy shooting consecutive vertical-format projects. Having built her career through television shows such as Anokhaa Bandhan, Faltu, Tara From Satara and Vighnaharta Ganesha, she says the shift to vertical storytelling has been both challenging and refreshing.

Recalling how she first discovered the format, Eshaa shares that it happened rather organically. She says, “After I finished shooting for my last TV show, I was just going through my Instagram account when I came across a short vertical video. I was very keen to try it because it was a new platform and a new format for me. I had never worked with vertical cameras before and did not know much about the framing, so I was excited to explore it.”

Over time, the format became a regular part of her work. She says, “I have been doing verticals for a long time now. I don’t know the exact count, but some of my favourites are Pagal Dulhan Ka Raaz, Mera Inteqaam Dekhogi and Tapasya vs Temptation. It has been a great experience, and at the moment, I genuinely enjoy working in this format.”

However, she admits that vertical shoots can be more demanding than television. She shares, “Verticals and TV are both hectic, but I would say verticals are more hectic than a TV show. On television, you are comfortable with your team, and there are comparatively fewer costume changes. With verticals, you have very little time. You have to be quick with costume changes and reading your lines. Everything happens so fast that you barely get time to take a break. It is hectic, but it is also fun because it is different.”

Drawing from her television background, she explains how that experience helps her adapt. She says, “I have been doing TV for a long time, and it requires patience, expressions, camera awareness and the energy to act for 12 to 17 hours at a stretch. You have to manage your costume, makeup and lines simultaneously. That discipline has made me practical and quick with my lines. I am a fast learner, so I adapt easily. I would say verticals are a shorter and quicker version of TV. Everything you do on television, you do here too, just in much less time. The camera confidence and learning ability I gained from working on long scripts in TV have really helped me while doing verticals.”