"The villagers kept questioning why my on-screen mother-in-law humiliates me so much," recollects Aishwarya Baspure on playing the role of a widow in Mahasati

She is one of the dazzling divas in the industry. Be it a role in an innocent woman or a ravishing vamp, Aishwarya Baspure aces it with her own style. From playing a role of an innocent widow in her debut show Mahasati to winning hearts with her on-screen character Maya from Yaare Nee Mohini, the actress has definitely come a long way. In an exclusive interview with ETimes TV, Aishwarya Baspure talks about her journey in the Kannada entertainment industry and much more.....

I never had any thoughts of entering the industry at all. My debut in the Kannada entertainment industry just happened. Being a student who studied psychology, English literature, and journalism during graduation, I always wanted to pursue a Master's in psychology. I aspired to become a psychologist, who has her own clinic and helps people. I guess this was my aim ever since I was in the fifth standard.

So, entering the entertainment industry was maybe a destiny. Maybe I was meant to be here. Initially, I took things on a lighter note. I did not really notice how much recognition the industry can actually give to an individual. Especially in villages, the people actually worship the character you portray if it is a positive one. They are that innocent.

We were shooting in a small village in Belgaum for a year for my debut show 'Mahasati'. I was playing the role of a very innocent widow in the show. She was very much on the sober side. The villagers there were very much attached to my on-screen character. They used to literally come, hold my hand and convey their feelings over the character. They felt it was real and kept questioning why my on-screen mother-in-law humiliates me so much.

Back then, I could not really understand their emotions much. Being bought up in a metropolitan city like Bengaluru, I could hardly relate to the emotions of the viewers in rural areas. But then, I started missing all of these when I started to shoot for my next project 'Yaare Nee Mohini'. The shoot of the show happened in Bengaluru and shooting in a city is pretty common. Unlike the villagers, no one really cares about shoots in the city.

Nevertheless, people do watch the show here and praise you. They are supportive. Although it has been half a year since Yaare Nee Mohini concluded its journey on Kannada television, people still praise me for my on-screen character. They express their opinion and often mention that my on-screen character 'Maya' had its own importance in the show.

Playing Maya from Yaare Nee Mohini was quite challenging. Initially, I was auditioned for the protagonist's role for Yaare Nee Mohini. I never auditioned for Maya's character. But then the makers were keen on casting me for the vampish character considering my personality. Well, I was not really sure if I could step into the skin of this character. I always felt the on-screen vamps are not acceptable to the audience. But the team was very supportive and helped me sail through it.

The transition from being Maya to a 'Mohini' in the show came in like a jolt to me. Basically, it was not there in the script itself. It was after the first lockdown, makers came up with the biggest twist in the storyline. This was to spice up the storyline as there was a slight dip in the TRP.

I visited the set for the shoot and was informed that Maya is being killed in the show. Eventually, the makers revealed that Maya will be turning into a Mohini. This was a shocker for me. I even cried inconsolably when I learned about it. The director had to call the producer to console me. Although I did not really like it, I had to do it. But the makers gave me the freedom to experiment with my looks and attire as a 'Mohini'.

Mohini's character turned out to be a fashionable one. The viewers are started to accept the modern avatar of Mohini. I experimented a lot with my accessories. I wore huge earing, Mang-tika, necklace and etc. I even made sure my costume looked trendy for the Mohini character. People indeed started calling me the modern Mohini. I broke the stereotypical looks of a Mohini and gave it a trendy look.

Post-Yaare Nee Mohini, I took up Sangarsha. This was a conscious choice as it was a guest role. I played the role of a typical office-going woman. This character was well received by the viewers. While people hated me as Maya of Yaare Nee Mohini, Sangarsha gave them a different opinion.

I feel the character we portray on-screen definitely impacts the viewers. The reach with the common man is pretty good. There is just a thin line between you and the viewers. I have been enjoying my acting journey to the core. Acting is something that lets you experience many roles in one lifetime. I hope I get to play all the on-screen characters I have on my bucket list.

Unfortunately because of the COVID-19 crisis situation, whatever projects were lined up for me has been delayed. I am yet to start my shoots. Well, I think this is for the best. I am being positive about my career.