Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Aalisha Panwar: Observation helps us grow as actors

Aalisha Panwar: Observation helps us grow as actors

WHY THE ACTRESS IS ENJOYING HER TV ROLES

ACTRESS Aalisha Panwar was just 12 years old when she faced the camera for the first time, and despite feeling nervous, gave her all as a contestant in the national dance reality show Nachein Gaen Dhoom Machaen.


Not long after that, she made a cameo appearance in a film, and then her acting debut as a teenager on daily drama serial Begusarai on &TV. Despite being very young and learning on the job, she was a natural and started an action-packed career with big performances in popular shows including Jamai Raja, Ishq Mein Marjawan, Meri Gudiya and her latest series Teri Meri Ikk Jindri, which is airing on ZEE TV.

Eastern Eye caught up with the popular small-screen star to discuss her acting journey, Teri Meri Ikk Jindri, inspirations, dream role and what she would love to master.

Which of your roles has been closest to your heart?

As an actor, all the roles I’ve played have been very close to my heart and are very dear to me. Because these roles made me Aalisha Panwar and convinced the audience to love me as an actor. They gave me so many fans and so much love. But if I have to choose, then Tara and Aarohi from Ishq Mein Marjawan for Colors, because it launched me as a lead into the industry.

You joined the ZEE TV series Teri Meri Ikk Jindri mid-way. Tell us about your role of Avneet?

Avneet has grey shades. She is very lovable, strong and caring, but is also possessive, vengeful and does not tolerate any nonsense. In addition, she’s also a fashion diva and businesswoman. I like her character because she’s someone who knows how to love, but also knows how to hate. There is no limit to her love and hate. Simply, if Avneet loves you, she will do it to the core, but when she hates you, she hates you to the core, without limit. So, I love the way she is.

How does Avneet compare to other roles you have done?

This character is different from others I have played. At times people do compare her to what I had done with Tara in Ishq Mein Marjawan, but there she was too dangerous and killed if she had to. But Avneet is not scary or negative like Tara. I love the changes the character has brought into the story. Earlier the show was more of a romance with a bit of comedy, but Avneet’s entry added a thrilling element.

Is that your favourite part of the Teri Meri Ikk Jindri serial?

That is why I joined the show. Avneet’s entry has taken it from light-hearted entertainment to a thriller zone. So, now it’s romance, comedy, and thrills. I don’t think we have seen such a combination done like this on TV before. That makes it a little different from all the other shows I have done until now.

Have you learned anything new while doing this show?

I think as actors, every time we perform or portray a new character in a new story, we learn every day. So, our learning never ends and that’s the best part of being an actor. There will always be things you might not be aware of and that’s a good thing. Learning from others, observing people around you and your surroundings is the best exercise for an actor. This observation helps in building a character, whether it is an accent, emotion, reaction, or body language. Observation helps us grow as actors.

Why do you think Teri Meri Ikk Jindri is so loved?

Since the time I have joined the show, I’ve been getting very nice feedback from my fans and everybody. They love the character Avneet and the genre of the show. I hope everybody keeps loving it that way.

How do you approach each new character you play?

Whenever I’m been offered a new show, project or character, I’m very excited, happy and optimistic. I take it as a challenge and see it as a blessing because I will only say yes if I love the story and character. Once I have said yes, I approach the project with positivity and start working on it. For example, when I had to play a blind girl, I worked hard on how she would walk, talk, react and her body language before commencing shooting. So, I prepare as necessary for that specific role.

What do you enjoy watching as an audience member?

I watch web series a lot when I get time. I particularly enjoy comedy and something that is light-hearted, and totally entertaining. I also like watching romance and thrillers.

What inspires you as an actress?

Well, as an actress, the thing that inspires me most is all the love I get from my fans. Every morning when I wake up and open social media, it is flooded with positive comments and love of fans from all over the world. Their love, appreciation for my hard work, sketches and letters inspires me. It motivates me to work harder. I think their love helps me keep going in my field.

Do you have a dream role?

I thought I had already lived my dream role in Ishq Mein Marjawan, where I played a double role of the protagonist and antagonist. I also played a triple role as Tara, Aarohi and Kesari for three months in that show. That is a dream role for any actor, especially on TV where you don’t get a chance to explore so much in one show. I’ll always cherish that and if I get a similar chance in the future, I would love to grab it. Ultimately, any role I do is different from what I have played before, and enables me to give variations in my performance and experiment with myself, which is a dream in itself.

Is being part of a film something that interests you?

As an actor, a film would interest anybody, and I am no different. As an actor it’s my job to perform and entertain my audience, be it on TV, digital or film. I love entertaining and performing. So, whenever I get a chance, I’ll grab it.

If you could master something new, what would it be?

If I could master something new it would be singing because I know how to act and can dance well, but have never tried singing. (Laughs) Somewhere I can say I’m a bathroom singer but would love to master it.

More For You

Jasbinder Bilan

Jasbinder Bilan

Jasbinder Bilan’s journey of heart and heritage: From Himalayan tales to global acclaim

When Jasbinder Bilan first paused her teaching career to pursue a creative writing degree, she had no idea it would lead to a life-changing breakthrough. What began as a leap of faith became a journey filled with hope, rejection and ultimately triumph. Inspired by her beloved grandmother and her Indian roots, Bilan poured her soul into her debut manuscript Song of the Mountain. Though the publishing world was not immediately ready for her story, perseverance paid off when she won the 2016 Times Chicken House Prize, launching her celebrated writing career. Now, following the success of her Costa Award-winning Asha and the Spirit Bird, Bilan returns with a powerful new historical adventure, Naeli and the Secret Song. In this exclusive interview, she speaks about the emotional inspiration behind the book, her love for young readers and the importance of believing in your voice — no matter how long it takes to be heard.

What first connected you to writing?
It was stories more than writing that were my first love. My grandmother, Majee, was the storyteller in our house and it was those bonding moments that sparked my love for creating my own stories. She told me lots of Indian folk tales at bedtime, but she also shared stories of our life in India on the farm near the foothills of the Himalaya. So, I grew up feeling connected to a place that I then filled with my imagination. As a little girl I loved drawing and writing, and always wanted to be a writer, but it took me a long time to make that dream come true.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rachel Zegler’s ‘Evita’ Performance Sparks Broadway Buzz

Rachel Zegler stuns in Jamie Lloyd’s Evita as Palladium crowds grow nightly

Instagram/officialevita

Rachel Zegler shines in Jamie Lloyd’s ‘Evita’ as West End hit eyes Broadway transfer

Quick highlights:

 
     
  • Rachel Zegler plays Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s radical Evita revival at the London Palladium.
  •  
  • A viral moment features Zegler singing live from the theatre’s balcony to crowds on the street.
  •  
  • Lloyd’s stripped-down staging amps up visuals and sound but sacrifices storytelling depth.
  •  
  • Talks are on for a Broadway transfer as early as 2026 with Zegler confirmed to reprise her role.
  •  
 

Rachel Zegler commands the London stage as Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s daring reimagining of Evita, a production that trades subtlety for spectacle and could soon be heading to Broadway.

Following the success of Sunset Boulevard, Lloyd’s signature stripped-down style meets rock concert intensity in this revived version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical. Zegler, in only her second major stage role, dazzles with commanding vocals and presence, even as critics debate the show’s dramatic clarity.

Keep ReadingShow less
K Anis Ahmed

K Anis Ahmed’s new novel Carnivore is as imaginative as it is provocative

AMG

K Anis Ahmed’s 'Carnivore' serves up satire, class war and moral rot

From the blood-soaked backstreets of Dhaka to the polished kitchens of Manhattan’s elite, K Anis Ahmed’s new novel Carnivore is as imaginative as it is provocative. A satirical thriller steeped in class tension, culinary obsession and primal survival, Carnivore follows Kash, a Bangladeshi immigrant-turned-chef who launches a high-end restaurant serving exotic meats – only to become embroiled in a sinister world of appetite and ambition.

But this is no simple tale of knives and recipes. Ahmed – a seasoned journalist, publisher, and president of PEN Bangladesh – brings a sharp eye to the grotesqueries of power and privilege. In this exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, he speaks about his passion for food, the moral murkiness of his characters, and why even the most ordinary people can spiral into extraordinary darkness.

Keep ReadingShow less
Artists respond to a world shaped
by division at Summer Exhibition

Visitors view works in the main gallery

Artists respond to a world shaped by division at Summer Exhibition

THE theme of the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition 2025 is “dialogues”, prompting the question: can art help bring together the people of India and Pakistan? Or, indeed, Israel and Iran – or Israel and Palestine?

It so happens that the coordinator of this year’s Summer Exhibition is the internationally celebrated artist and Royal Academician Farshid Moussavi, who is of Iranian origin.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kanpur 1857 play

This summer, Niall Moorjani returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with 'Kanpur: 1857'

Pleasance

Niall Moorjani brings colonial history to life with powerful new play 'Kanpur: 1857'

This summer, Niall Moorjani returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Kanpur: 1857, an explosive new play that fuses biting satire, history and heartfelt storytelling. Written, co-directed and performed by Moorjani, alongside fellow actor and collaborator Jonathan Oldfield, the show dives into the bloody uprising against British colonial rule in 1857 India, focusing on the brutal events in Kanpur.

At its centre is an Indian rebel, played by Moorjani, strapped to a cannon and forced to recount a version of events under the watchful eye of a British officer.

Keep ReadingShow less