Puja Sharma: I needed something bold to come back

After a seven-year sabbatical from television, actress Puja Sharma makes her comeback with the show Jhanak. “It made me sharper, more grounded. But yes, I missed the chaos of sets, the adrenaline of performance.

I needed something bold to come back,” she shares. Puja plays Kanka, a tribal woman with grey shades in her character. “I’ve played positive leads before, but Kanka is raw, volatile, and emotionally layered. My character is not negative but there’s a positive side to her too, where she supports people around her. I am also exploring my character as the day passes.” The actress recently began shooting in West Bengal. “Even though the weather wasn't great, the shoot went well.

The show already has its own set of niche audience, and it’s tough to bring in new roles, but I’m sure people will like it.” Hailing from Jharkhand, Puja says the dialect comes naturally to her. “This character is Bihari, so I enjoy playing that. It feels authentic.” On her decision to return, Puja reflects, “In TV, once an actor turns 30, they are typecast in roles of bhabhi, masi or chachi. I’m not saying those are bad, but they need to be strong. After taking a 7-year sabbatical, I wanted to return with a role that’s worth it—and this one got me excited.”