Sheena Chohan on Arjunain Allirani: I give every character my complete heart & soul
Mumbai, June 11 Actress Sheena Chohan, who is currently preparing for her role as Rani in the upcoming film "Arjunain Allirani", revealed that once she signs a project, she enters a complete preparation mode, aligning herself fully with the filmmaker's vision.
In her own words, she turns into "a blank page for the director to create on."
As part of her preparation for the role of Rani, Sheena is undergoing intensive stick-fighting training, along with studying village Tamil stories, films, dialects, and cultural textures recommended by her director.
Additionally, Sheena is also working on improving her Tamil.
Shedding light on the process, she said, "The moment I say yes to a film, I start preparing myself for the character. I truly research, understand, and enter the world and universe of that character. Every role has emotional depth and challenges. If you want audiences to connect, you need to understand the character from within. I give every character my complete heart and soul."
Sheena added that what excites her most about "Arjunain Allirani" is stepping into the folk-tale-inspired world, a universe she describes as "rich, layered, and deeply rooted in tradition". She shared that this is something she lives for as an actor.
She revealed that while working on an intense role, she often takes a break from social media and disconnects from noise to stay focused and emotionally present.
Sheena added that she believes every film is a collective vision that must be honoured. "As actors, we have the responsibility to respect that vision and give our best. When the audience feels what the character feels, that is when the magic happens," she went on to add.
However, this is not the first time Sheena has gone the extra mile to get into the skin of a character. When she played Avali in "Sant Tukaram", she spent time in rural villages observing local women. For her role as a police officer in "JMD", she shadowed a policewoman to understand discipline and pressure. For the web series "The Trial," opposite Kajol, Sheena spent time in Bandra churches observing emotional atmospheres and human behavior.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's refreshing to see an actress willing to go off social media and truly immerse herself in the character. In an age of constant Instagram updates, this is a welcome change. But I do wonder—are these deep cultural stories getting enough mainstream promotion? Hope the film reaches audiences beyond just the usual fans.
Her approach to learning village Tamil and studying the dialect shows real respect for the culture. Many actors in mainstream cinema just lip-sync without understanding the language nuances. Sheena putting in the hard work for a folk tale-based film—kudos! 👏
It's interesting that the article mentions her preparation for The Trial with Kajol. Shows she's versatile. However, I'd like to see more Indian actresses being given such meaty roles rather than just being glamour props. Hope Allirani shines a light on strong female characters in folk traditions.
"Blank page for the director" - beautifully put. This is the kind of collaborative spirit our cinema needs. Also, kudos for the village immersion for Sant Tukaram. That role must have been challenging for a non-Marathi actress. Hope to see more such authentic performances from her!
Wait, Sheena Chohan? The same one from that ad campaign? She's really grown as an actor. But here's my respectful critique—she should also focus on diction. If the character is from a village, the Tamil needs to feel natural, not just studied. Still, excited for Arjunain Allirani!
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