In an exclusive conversation with The Pioneer, Mona Ambegaonkar reflects on what drew her back to Vasudha in Kuch Sapney Apne, the emotional depth required for the role and how she embraced the challenge of continuing a story that has already touched so many lives
Tejal Sinha
Very few actors get the chance to revisit a character and watch them evolve over time—especially female actors in Indian cinema. Mona Ambegaonkar is one of those rare artists who has been given this opportunity with Kuch Sapney Apne, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Evening Shadows. As Vasudha, she once again steps into the shoes of a woman navigating deep emotional and societal transformations, but this time with newfound strength, resistance and love.
For the Baharon Ke Manzil actress, this film is more than just a sequel—it’s an exploration of change, resilience, and personal growth.
Ambegaonkar describes her role in Kuch Sapney Apne as a continuation of her journey in Evening Shadows, emphasising that the new film is both a sequel and a stand-alone story. She acknowledges how rare it is for actors—particularly female actors—to have the chance to grow with their characters over time.
“Rarely do actors have the opportunity to evolve and grow as a person, in the context of cinema, especially if they are female. Most sequels or franchises are headed by men who save the world from a violent demise through violence. I, on the other hand, have been given the opportunity to heal my character and her family with love, empathy and a strong dose of honesty. I could not pass up a chance to tell such a story in a million years,” gushes the Super Nani fame.
She reflects on how Evening Shadows laid the foundation for Kuch Sapney Apne, opening up doors to a deeper understanding of human emotions and relationships. “In Evening Shadows, I got to open up the doors of a new world, a new level of understanding and human knowledge which led to Kuch Sapney Apne, where I was able to apply that knowledge and understanding to the situations and revelations in the life unfolding around me. It tested my character in ways that mere ‘understanding’ does not do.”
Vasudha’s character arc is one of transformation and Ambegaonkar finds this journey both compelling and challenging. “My character graph goes from being a subservient mouse to a towering inferno in Evening Shadows. In Kuch Sapney Apne, my character takes her anger and makes it count, not with rage or violence but with empathy, love and resistance. She embraces individuality and independence, tentatively at first and then firmly. She meets societal resistance with her own. The changes she brings about through persistence is empowering.”
For the Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 actress, the emotional depth and complexity of the role made it an unmissable opportunity. “It was impossible to refuse a role that demanded so much depth. I thrive on challenges, and the gauntlet that Vasudha threw down, in both the films, was what drew me to this role.”
Reflecting on the emotional depth required for the role, she shares that neither internal nor external battles were particularly difficult for her to portray. “Honestly, both internal and external battles are the very fabric of my personal life, so none of the emotions were hard to convey. Sometimes it took an effort to build up to the required emotion, but that is all in a day’s work for any actor.”
However, the Dishoom fame admits that certain aspects of Vasudha’s personality were challenging to embody. “I must confess that being particular about small things like food choices and spice (you will know what I mean when you see the film) was hard because I love food, love trying out new cuisine and absolutely love spicy foods. Oh yes, one more thing—not hitting back (you will know what I mean when you see the film)—that was hard, because in real life, I would have.”
Despite her extensive experience, she does not follow a structured method to prepare for emotionally intense roles. “I am not a ‘trained’ actor; I didn’t go to acting school or drama school, so I don’t actually understand what it means to ‘prepare for roles,’” she says. While she acknowledges the merit of formal acting methodologies, her approach is rooted in instinct. “I may do physical preparation for a role, if required, given the time and resources, of course, but I cannot claim to do much else except read my lines and the script, over and over again, putting special emphasis on the silences, the pauses.”
For her, authenticity is the foundation of every performance. “What I do, even when essaying roles that I don’t identify with, is keep honesty and emotional nakedness front and centre. I believe that whatever the role may be, somewhere in our emotional and mental depths, there is a kernel of that character. I try to find that kernel, that seed and plant it in my performance, in the lines, in the action playing out, in the scene, and let it grow.” She credits the director for shaping that growth into something meaningful. “Nourishing and shaping what grows out of that seed is the director’s job, and if all goes well and we have synergy, then magic is guaranteed.”
One of the film’s central themes is the evolution of relationships across generations, particularly Vasudha’s own transformation. However, Ambegaonkar is careful not to reveal too much before the film’s release. “How my character’s beliefs evolve through the story is one of the pivots around which the film revolves. It would be unfair to reveal that before the film is released. I encourage you to please see the film and decide the expanse of the beliefs Vasudha holds and how these beliefs evolve. All I can say is that it is a forward-looking and progressive evolution.”
When asked how Vasudha differs from her previous performances, Ambegaonkar is quick to emphasise that each role she has played is distinct. “I would not compare the films or the characters I have had the privilege to enact, simply because the word ‘strong’ is accompanied by ‘layered’ right there in your question itself. The layers made each one of those strong women different and incomparable.”
The M.O.M. – Mission Over Mars actress describes Vasudha as unique, shaped by her upbringing and the life she has witnessed since childhood. “Her preconceived and limited notions are shattered by the truths placed in front of her by the one she, perhaps, holds dearest,” she says. This transformation, influenced by her background and experiences, sets Vasudha apart from the characters Ambegaonkar has previously portrayed.
Revisiting a character after several years presented its own set of challenges. “In terms of the performance itself, I have lived the character of Vasudha before in Evening Shadows, so taking her journey forward was an immense pleasure and honor—especially since two of the principal characters are being played by different actors in this film. Finding that connection again with my co-actors was the key, and thankfully, that happened immediately and from the start.”
Though she has experience playing long-running characters on television, this was the first time she returned to a film character after an extended break. “Since I have worked in television serials in the past, I am familiar with living a character for extended periods of time, day after day. Yet, this is the first time I have had the opportunity to relive a character in a feature film, and there was an interval of a few years between the shooting of the two films.”
The real challenge, she notes, was stepping back into Vasudha’s world seamlessly. “Jumping into the character’s shoes without tripping, so to speak, after such a long gap was the real challenge. To remember who she was again and where she may have reached in the fictional time between the telling of the two tales—that was crucial.”
She credits the film’s writer and director for guiding her back into Vasudha’s journey.
“The engaging script written by Saagar Gupta and the steady directorial hand of Sridhar Rangayan made sure that I was kept pointed in the right direction while portraying the character,” she concludes.
