From songs to celluloid

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To Lisa Mishra's fans, her acting debut in Call Me Bae may come as a surprise. Laughing at this, the singer reveals that it surprised the direction team at Dharmatic Entertainment, which is backing the Ananya Panday-starrer, as well. "It was a surprise to them when my audition came up, because they've only known me as a singer. But acting has always been a dream, and I've been working on it quietly for years. It took me so long to get here. Singing is my first love, but I wanted to scratch this itch of acting," says Mishra, the voice behind hit tracks, Sajna ve and Nai chaida.

In director Collin D'Cunha's coming-of-age series, Mishra plays a TV news producer. Tell her that she couldn't have asked for a better debut project than a Karan Johar production, and she says it feels "surreal". But reaching this point hasn't been easy for the US-bred singer. "I've been auditioning with Panchami Ghavri since 2018, working on my language skills and screen presence. One day, we'll post a reel of all those failed auditions, but what I've learned most from this journey is resilience. Keep going - what's meant to be, will be."

What added to her joy was the fact that her character resonated with her. "I found myself relating deeply to her grit and compassion. There were moments when I felt like she was a part of me, which is a credit to Ishita Moitra's writing."