Ayesha Kanga, renowned for her impactful debut as the assertive and spirited Yashika in the immensely popular streaming series Class has emerged as the newest sensation among Gen Z. Her stellar performance as a dynamic and cunning character in the web series garnered widespread praise. Beyond her acting prowess, Ayesha has also established herself as one of the most influential voices in the realm of fashion.
A high achiever from the National Institute of Design (NID), Ayesha Kanga has set her sights on Bollywood and aims to dominate the Indian fashion landscape. Vogue, a highly esteemed fashion magazine in the country, has recognized her as the Most Disruptive Force of Fashion.
Recently, the young actress candidly discussed her journey of making it big in the industry despite being an outsider, along with reflecting on the phenomenal year she has experienced.
Ayesha Kanga reflects on her journey as an outsider in the industry
Ayesha Kanga shares that her journey to the limelight has been an extended one due to her outsider status in the industry. Nevertheless, now that she’s in the spotlight, she is dedicated to giving her absolute best.
The young actress articulates, “ Being an industry outsider who’s never even really foot in an acting class – god knows, I’ve had to work to get here. But I’ve never felt more driven than I am today. As an actor perpetually motivated to carve a distinctive niche, I’m committed to working tirelessly to substantiate my work as an actor and make an indelible mark on an industry I’ve loved for so long.”
Ayesha is elated about the remarkable year she has experienced. She expresses, “What a year it’s been. The overwhelming love that ‘Class’ received gave me the confidence boost I needed to present myself to the world, unapologetically. And credit goes to possibly the greyest mean-girl archetype, Yashika. Debuting as a character as headstrong and feisty as her gave me so much to work with. I fell in love with her the day I auditioned.”
Furthermore, the actress reveals that Ashim Ahluwalia, the director of Class, allowed her to contribute creatively to the show. This included rewriting her dialogues, co-creating scenes not initially scripted, shaping digital inserts for livestream comments and text messages, and even providing input on outfits for her character.
She adds, “We even got to cast my sister Trisha on the show—Trisha ended up writing a hilarious improvised scene as well! I’m so lucky.”
The actress also highlighted how her life underwent an overnight transformation when Class captured the nation’s attention. Experiencing the iconic TUDUM sound right before watching the first episode on release day felt incredibly surreal, and she still finds it hard to believe. She expresses gratitude to Netflix, stating that ever since she debuted on the platform, it’s been one big professional celebration for her.
