She is the New Girl on the block

Amaara Sangam

Amaara Sangam - trained performance artist and classical dancer, from Mumbai and lived in London for almost a decade. Founder of (TAB) ‘The Acting Business' and (UE) ‘UsablEducation'. An honest feminist and sensitivity advocate. ‘Aparna' in ‘Sanak Ek Junoon' on MxPlayer.

1. Tell us about your journey so far ?

My journey only started end of 2019. All my systematic acting training in theatre in London and in Bombay, especially in Aadishakti Theatre & Research Centre in Pondicherry has taught me a lot about the craft and I'm still learning. But the business side I learnt about working with Panchami Ghavri Casting and apply that every day still. I left casting to start auditioning and lockdown happened. But it was only last year in 2020 just after the lockdown that I started getting work as an actor and within 6 months I had done a webseries called LuvDown which is on Hotstar, a music video for Shefali Alvares & Rajeev Bhalla and several ads on the way, until I got a call for Sanak Ek Junoon. And here we are!

The journey has been fast paced but it hasn't felt like that. I battle with high functioning anxiety. Have felt impatient, anxious and restless, particularly because financially the unpredictability, instability, the lack of job security in the profession is huge and the number of rejections an artist deals with is a normalised experienced for us. But I have worked hard with honesty and have a brilliant support system. My family has supported me in my lowest times even if they were not pouring from abundance themselves. I belong to a humble middle class family and working on my craft is the only way I know and it's paying off, thankfully. I am grateful my potential has been recognised so warmly by the people who gave me the opportunity in my journey till now.

2. How did you land up singing your upcoming show ?

Casting director Parag Chaddha had found me on my Instagram and auditioned me for another show actually. That show didn't happen but he liked my audition for that, I guess. So a few days after that he approached me and said he wanted to pitch me for this role to the Bhatts. The character was very interesting to me and challenging because I had never played the antagonist. So besides the fact that who was making it and who was in it, it was a primary character with an arch, that made me really want it. And thankfully they liked my previous work and auditions and offered me the role right away :)

3. How was it working with vikram bhatt?

Both Vikram sir and Krishna (Bhatt) are such wonderfully warm people on set! Krishna knew exactly what she wanted as a director. She would communicate it with such kindness and not give up until she gets what she wants. So for someone like me, for who it was the first time on a big set like that, surrounded by all other lead and primary actors who are known celebrities for decades, and to have the responsibility of doing justice to a character so different from even characters I had auditioned for till then, it was wonderful to have a director like Krishna. And whenever Vikram sir was on set, he would make the place light up and fun. Just the ease with which he is so relaxed on set, was really wonderful.
On the last day on set when I was talking to him, he said hopefully first of many bigger roles you will do. And the way things are looking, I am hoping that's exactly how my work ahead pans out.

4.What next for you?

For now I am working on my craft. That's a labour of love that I wouldn't want to stop working on ever as an artist. In terms of project, I have another exciting project lined up but I can't disclose that yet. Hopefully soon I will be able to share that. And besides that, I have a new start up called ‘The Acting Business' (TAB) which is launching this month. It is the first Indian entertainment industry focused open platform for artists and entertainment professionals and aspirants to share, acknowledge and expand their exposure and understanding of their industry and learn from others'.

5. Had you always thought of being an actor?

If not an actor then what?

When I was a kid, yes. And as a child the only way I saw was to model, win a beauty pageant and then become an actress. So I was a teenage model, which is when I got molested and I went in the shadow not wanting to do anything in front of the camera. So I worked in the fashion business, data analytics, trend forecasting and coding in London. It's only after I spontaneously decided to move back to India and went through therapy and healed from the trauma of that experience that I decided to come back to what I always wanted to do. I feel like fish in water as an artist.

6.Any films in the offing ?

No. Right now I'm am getting calls for only OTT projects. But I'm hungry to just work right now. It's not about anything else. Performing for the camera or on stage is what my soul feeds on. So if an opportunity comes, be it films or OTT, I will grab it with open arms.