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Mumbai, Maharashtra: In this IANS interview, the actor Aashiesh Sharma talks about his upcoming film 'Khejdi', based on the short story 'Sanjha', which explores a trans individual’s journey of identity and belonging in a sensitive, human way. Aashiesh Sharma says he was drawn to 'Khejdi' for its emotional depth and a role very different from his usual historical and mythological characters. He prepared intensely, isolating himself during the Rajasthan shoot to stay authentic, with support from his wife, who is also the co-writer and producer. He describes the film as a sensitive, non-preachy exploration of identity and acceptance, and believes audiences today especially on OTT are more open to such stories. Finally, he reflects briefly on evolving trends in cinema, including AI and finite storytelling in television, and calls the film a journey of emotional confinement and self-discovery.


#Khejri #Sanjha #IdentityJourney #Transformation #Storytelling #TransNarrative #MethodActing #ActorLife #FilmInterview #Cinema #IndianCinema #OTTContent #SelfDiscovery #Acceptance #Belonging #CreativeProcess #PerformanceArt #BehindTheScenes #PsychologicalActing #UniversalStory #FilmMaking #ActingJourney #IANS

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00:00Thank you so much for having me.
00:34Thank you so much for having me.
01:11Thank you so much for having me.
06:41It's all about the truth and the truth is about it.
06:44Can you tell me about the character of the role of the character?
06:49Do you have any character of the character?
06:53I tried to go to that side, but then I realized that while I was writing and writing it,
07:02I realized that when we see a trans person in today's date,
07:13they are conditioned, they are conditioned.
07:17They are conditioned by one way.
07:19They are internal, they are personal, and they are outside.
07:23They are conditioned by one way.
07:24They are conditioned by one way.
07:36They are conditioned by one way.
07:38They are conditioned by one way.
07:38But our story is not conditioned by one way.
07:42Our story is a child who doesn't know what it is.
07:47And they are deeply explored by one way.
07:50They are conditioned by one way.
07:52His father has not conditioned by one way.
07:56He knows that he is a girl who is in a house.
08:00He is conditioned by one way.
08:00And when he starts his journey, he explores us.
08:04That's why, purposely, knowingly,
08:08I stayed away from interacting with any person from the community.
08:12Because they are conditioned by one way.
08:16And our story is conditioned by one way.
08:19His life has conditioned by one way.
08:22So I stayed away from that.
08:36I think it's a personal choice.
08:39It's a very personal choice.
08:40It's a very personal choice.
08:41It's a very personal choice.
08:41It's a very personal choice.
08:48My process is saying that
08:51I am living here,
08:57I have a life.
08:59What do I have done?
09:00What do I do?
09:01I work on one way,
09:03one way,
09:04one way I work on one way.
09:09I work on one way.
09:10I think
09:11I don't want that life.
09:14I think
09:14I like to explore my own
09:17and explore my own.
09:20I think that's what an artist strives for.
09:23So I think that's what an artist strives for.
09:25As an actor,
09:26as a writer,
09:28as a creator,
09:29I think that's what I attract.
09:33And I also
09:34I think
09:35there are many stories
09:36that are already in Kitty.
09:40When they come out,
09:41you will understand
09:42how exciting and different they are
09:45from each and everything that I have done in the past.
09:47I think that's what keeps me alive.
09:50It keeps me alive.
09:51It keeps me alive.
09:52It keeps me alive.
09:53It keeps me alive.
09:54What is the story of this film?
09:56What is the story of this film?
10:01How is the story?
10:04How is the story of this film?
10:05The story of this film is not the story that you do.
10:12preach not to do it, first of all, this is a kind of mirror, like this,
10:17so you will see yourself in your thoughts, in your thoughts, in your thoughts.
10:23The second thing is that I have said that I have now, not only in Bhaarit, but also in Bhaarit,
10:29there are also very few things that I have seen in Bhaarit, which I have seen in Bhaarit,
10:32where I have seen this story as a neutral point of view.
10:36We have seen this story as a maker, a story, a story, a conditioning, a perception, a point of view,
10:48we have seen this story as a story, and we have seen this story as a story.
10:54There is also a story that is a story that is a point of view,
11:00how it is, or how it is.
11:01Or how it is, how it is, or how it is, or how it is.
11:05Or how it is, how it is, how it is.
11:06So, it is not a story or you are trying to explain it to yourself.
11:12It is a story that is very similar to everyone's story.
11:20It is about fitting into the society, finding your own space in the society.
11:34I think Indian audience is always much more mature.
11:37This is a very wrong idea to say that we are an audience.
11:42We are different, we are different.
11:44We are different.
11:45We are different.
11:46I think Indian audience is always mature.
11:52We are different.
11:53We are different.
11:53I think we have to label them on the same page.
11:56We have to label them.
11:58They will not be able to see them.
12:00They will not be able to see them.
12:04We have to see them without any prejudice.
12:11They haven't seen them before.
12:13They have not seen these films.
12:15and the audience is constantly working.
12:20In reality, the audience and cinema are very good.
12:24Do you think that the industry will shift the narrative of the industry
12:28or the niche space?
12:34Yes, definitely.
12:37Definitely when the digital platform is good,
12:43I think we can reach that point.
12:49Because our theaters are not coming here,
12:51we can reach that point to the audience,
12:54which may not go to the theater.
12:56I think that's a benefit.
13:00I don't think there is a niche audience,
13:05there is a better film in every language.
13:09And every language of the person is looking at the excitement,
13:15and the acceptance of the audience is looking at it.
13:17I don't want to talk about language,
13:19we are talking about Indian languages.
13:21Across the globe,
13:22there is a film in any audience today available at a click of it,
13:26and they are looking at it,
13:27they understand it,
13:29and I think it's not that it's a niche audience.
13:33It's a niche audience.
13:34It's a niche audience.
13:35It's a niche audience.
13:36If you make a good story,
13:38it's a niche audience.
13:42Breaking stereotypes?
13:45You have asked me,
13:48you have said,
13:50that you have done a stereotype,
13:51or break-in?
14:01I am here to work as an actor and as a creator.
14:11I am here to work as an actor and as a creator.
14:21I am not.
14:21There are some things that will add some to me,
14:25and that I may add some value and that I have been excited for myself.
14:29If I am giving myself a certain percentage of things,
14:34if I am going to give myself a thing and a true story,
14:37if I am going to work to my life in a terrible story,
14:39then we give a very huge amount to my life in my life.
14:41So, that part of my life should not regretful or worthwhile.
14:47It's just enough for me.
14:48Are you an actor, writer, producer?
14:52How difficult to manage it for me?
14:55No, it's not difficult for me because my 80% work is done.
15:01I think she's better.
15:02I don't think she's my better.
15:04She's my everything, I think.
15:08Half is not the word.
15:09I think she's my better whole.
15:11I'll try to say that.
15:14She gives me all my work.
15:17She leaves me for my creativity.
15:20Production is in her hands.
15:23Management is in her hands.
15:25And I think she's very good at it.
15:28And she's a hands-on producer and a hands-on creator.
15:32She understands monies.
15:33She knows money and creative.
15:35And she knows exactly exactly where it is going to be, where it is going to be.
15:40And the creativity and the output of my career is the most important thing.
15:45And she's very good with people's management.
15:47which I am very poor,
15:49and I leave my work.
15:52I leave my work so I can easily
15:53do it.
15:54The toughest scene was what was going on?
15:58The film was very difficult for me,
16:00because we have written one scene
16:01that we have written a script
16:05that we have been writing about
16:17and if I want to see it,
16:18I think that
16:21when the first time
16:23the KJD
16:24keeps coming from the door,
16:26and in the open,
16:28and in the open,
16:28and in the open,
16:31I think that was the most difficult
16:33for me,
16:34because myself
16:36took over 18 years
16:39to come from the door,
16:41in the mental space
16:44was the most difficult for me.
16:47because it should be genuine.
16:49It should not rehearse.
16:51It should not be able to create.
16:54I can't do acting
16:55that I am coming back.
16:56It has to be very organic.
16:58It needs to be felt.
17:00So, the freedom,
17:04the first time of the sunrise,
17:06the first time of the open sea,
17:07the first time of the open sea,
17:09I think that the moment,
17:11and it's a musical moment,
17:12there are no dialogues,
17:13it's a magical moment of the film.
17:15And I think that was the most difficult.
17:17And I think,
17:18because I said,
17:19that I have told you,
17:20that I have been closed for 15-20 days,
17:21and we have been closed for 15-20 days,
17:22and we have not left out.
17:24And we have shot it.
17:26So, I think,
17:38as an artist,
17:51I think,
17:52as an artist,
17:53you can try to invent,
17:55and then try to invent,
17:56and reinvent,
17:56and then try to invent,
17:57and then try to invent.
18:00After a point,
18:05they want to invent, reinvent,
18:07and experiment.
18:07because that is the only thing that you strive to do.
18:11Also,
18:11for me,
18:12it's about learning.
18:13I want to constantly learn something.
18:15And I think,
18:16it makes me restless.
18:17Like,
18:20I wanted to write,
18:22I want to direct,
18:22I want to create.
18:25Apart from acting,
18:26because I think,
18:27I think,
18:29it adds a lot of things.
18:30And I think,
18:31that hunger is what is now,
18:34the next phase of my life,
18:35will be,
18:36that I will satisfy that hunger.
18:38I will learn new technologies.
18:41So,
18:42I am very interested in it.
18:43I am very interested in it.
18:46I am very interested in it.
18:47And I think,
18:49these all things add a lot of things to me.
18:52Like I said,
18:52I am very interested in it.
18:53My life is my one.
18:54And I am very interested in it.
18:57And I think,
18:58that is what keeps me going.
19:00You have seen the AI.
19:01And you are saying,
19:02actors,
19:04actors,
19:04actors,
19:04actors,
19:05they will work with AI.
19:06So,
19:06what do you think,
19:08AI,
19:10reverse the role of AI?
19:12No.
19:13I think,
19:15human experience,
19:17that has never been replaced.
19:20AI is a technique,
19:22AI is,
19:23again,
19:24it is artificial intelligence.
19:27And I think,
19:27artificial will always remain artificial.
19:30And human intelligence will always be human intelligence.
19:32Because artificial intelligence is human intelligence.
19:36And human experience,
19:38we can never replace it.
19:39AI will never be able to do it.
19:40Definitely,
19:41AI will always enhance that human experience.
19:44I think,
19:45what can we learn about it?
19:46In other words,
19:47it's changing,
19:49people are changing,
19:50technology is changing,
19:51audience is changing,
19:51the world is changing.
19:53We have to keep going along with it.
19:54We cannot come with it.
19:55We cannot come with it.
19:56The life I have lived in 1990,
19:59I will not live today.
20:00We have seen that transformation from landline to mobile,
20:04from internet.
20:06But we have to go along with it.
20:08I am a fool.
20:12I have to go along with it.
20:14And make the best of it.
20:15I think that is the next phase of our generation,
20:18that now we need to learn AI and go along with it.
20:20So be it.
20:47TV has come full circle.
20:49Where it started,
20:51the TV has gone through.
20:52And I think it's good.
20:55Now,
20:55the time of the evolution of TV is evolving.
20:59I think we are in a transformative phase of television also right now.
21:03When the TV started,
21:05when you will see it,
21:06when you will see it,
21:07it was limited series.
21:09There were 50 episodes,
21:1152 episodes,
21:1310 episodes,
21:1312 episodes,
21:14a week in one episode.
21:15And if it was 4 weeks,
21:16then there were many episodes.
21:20They used to make the films.
21:23It was the time.
21:24At that time,
21:25from business point of view,
21:26there was ownership,
21:27IP rights, ownership,
21:28all the producers had to be.
21:30They were writing stories,
21:32they were casting stories,
21:34they were giving their content and giving the other versions.
21:38We have come full circle now.
21:41Today, we are talking about episodes coming, audiences want to watch limited stories, finite series, and they want to finish
21:51the story.
21:52They want to say the story, start to end, listen to the whole story.
21:55This is the release of the year of the year. I think that is where television is today.
22:02And I think this will only make it evolve.
22:03We will talk better in a better way. I think it's time that even the platforms understand.
22:12And I think they are also trying to adapt to this format.
22:16Because now every platform flies digitally.
22:19And they also want that we can cater to the maximum audience.
22:24I think it's such a beautiful phase for new creators.
22:28It's a beautiful phase for creators like me.
22:32Where we can tell our stories.
22:34Television, I think right now,
22:37in our transformative phase,
22:39it feels a little time to adjust.
22:41But I think it is good only.
22:43It is going to be very, very good moving on from here.
23:09I think that summarizes the whole film and what the film wants to say.
23:14That we all are prisoners.
23:16prisoners of society.
23:18And we all are trying to break free from it.
23:21And that is what the film says.
23:22And last thing,
23:24what do you think about the film?
23:37How do you think about the film?
23:39It is beautiful.
23:56How do you think about the film?
24:06And today,
24:08I was trying to take part of it.
24:09But with universal appeal, we will try to say it with a universal appeal.
24:14The plans of our future are the same.
24:17There is a very interesting phase that we are in right now.
24:21Soon I will announce a lot of things.
24:23Because that phase is now that we are going to take the floor.
24:28So there is a whole lineup for the next three to four years,
24:32which is ready, which is rolling right now.
24:35And as soon as we finish this phase of KGD release,
24:41we move on to the next phase and very, very exciting stories,
24:44very exciting period ahead for us.
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