‘Bad Cop’ actress Aishwarya Sushmita: Acting was a dream I never pursued because I didn’t think it was a viable career path for me

Acting was once a distant dream for Aishwarya Sushmita, a goal she never believed was attainable. However, after years in the modelling industry, she broke into showbiz, debuting with ‘Special Ops 1.5’. She later played Meeta Devi in ‘Khakee’ and was most recently seen as Kirki in ‘Bad Cop’, starring alongside Anurag Kashyap and Gulshan Devaiah. Speaking about her experience working with Anurag and Gulshan, Aishwarya shares, “Anurag Kashyap is known for his profound impact on Indian cinema, bringing a wealth of knowledge to the set.His presence alone motivated me to elevate my work and craft. Working with Gulshan was fun and full of learning opportunities. He is humble and approachable, qualities I greatly admire. He helped me understand the intricacies of action sequences, bringing his own experience to the table.”

Reflecting on her transition from modelling to acting, she had to fight against stereotypical mindsets. Talking about her journey, she recalls, “Acting was a dream I never pursued because I didn’t think it was a viable career path for me. However, after winning a beauty pageant and being featured in their calendar, I realised it could be a stepping stone to pursue acting. Since then, there has been no looking back.”
She adds, “There’s a longstanding perception that models lack the depth, or talent required for acting. Before starting my acting career, my biggest fear was that this stereotype could lead to typecasting. However, I focused on proving my dedication and capability through my work. Modelling and acting require different skill sets. While modelling focuses on physical presence and non-verbal communication, acting demands a deep understanding of character development, dialogue delivery, and emotional expression. I overcame this by taking consistent acting workshops and classes to hone my craft. Taking on diverse and challenging roles reflected my commitment to the craft and hopefully, gradually shifted perceptions. The stereotype that models can’t act still exists to some extent, but the emphasis is shifting towards individual talent and dedication rather than broad generalisations.”

After a promising start to 2024, what projects does she have lined up? “I’m excited about an upcoming project in which I play a challenging and emotionally rich role. There are some others I’m in talks for, but I haven’t made final decisions yet. I can’t wait to share more details when the time is right,” she replies.
Looking ahead, she is enthusiastic about her future projects. She shares, “I’m drawn to roles that offer depth, complexity, and a chance to explore different aspects of the human experience. When choosing projects, I look for compelling scripts, strong character development, and opportunities to work with talented filmmakers.”