Hello, folks! Welcome to Blab with Sandy, where this episode’s guest steals the spotlight from 2002’s cult movie ‘Yeh Dil Aashiqana’. It’s the one and only Jividha Sharma, the heartthrob heroine herself! Catch the film’s sizzling re-release in theaters this February 13th. Let’s not wait any further and plunge into this epic blab!
Sandy: Hello Jividha! Thrilled to have you here. All good? With Yeh Dil Aashiqana’s sizzling re-release buzzing for Valentine’s, the excitement must be electric!
Jividha: Hi Sandy! Thanks for the warm welcome, everything’s fabulous. And yes, with Yeh Dil Aashiqana stealing hearts again this Valentine’s, I’m buzzing with joy!
Sandy: Could you throw some light on your early background?
Jividha: I went to school in Delhi. I did my college at St. Xavier’s in Mumbai. My family is from Punjab—my dad is from Amritsar, and mom is from Meerut. But I grew up mostly in Delhi, so call me a Delhi girl. I came to Mumbai for Taal auditions and that’s when I shifted base to Mumbai.
Sandy: You made your onscreen debut as a lead in Kaadhale Nimmadhi. How did that happen?
Jividha: I’m from Delhi and my dad was in the shoe industry, and we did not have connections in the film world. As a child, I did small TV ads and a short film for Doordarshan. I then did some photoshoots, and those photos were selected for a Tamil film. I went to Chennai for auditions and got Kaadhale Nimmadhi, with Suriya as the hero in his second film. I was in 8th standard when I did this film and it was my first film.
Sandy: Great! Since you were also part of Taal, how did you grab that role? Yet another classic film that it is.
Jividha: For Taal, I was in 9th standard, preparing for 10th boards. I took a break for education—my dad was strict about studies. I was in Bombay on holiday with mom, learning Kathak. Subhash Ghai held auditions for a classical dancer, so I auditioned for it and got the role! ‘Taal’ was a memorable experience for me.
Sandy: ‘Yeh Dil Aashiqana’ is a classic film remembered by all film buffs. When it released in 2002, it created a buzz at the box office. How was the experience of debuting in that film?
Jividha: After Taal, I hustled a lot. I wanted a good break and wanted a well defined role after Taal. I had no godfather, no background; just my mother and me in Mumbai, trying for a good break. A year after Taal, one fine day I got a call from Aruna Irani ji’s office. She had seen me in Taal, liked my role, and called me for an audition. After multiple auditions and a look test, I was picked! It was indeed a magical experience getting to debut in ‘Yeh Dil Aashiqana’.
Sandy: You have had a wonderful bonding with Aruna Irani ji. You debuted in her production with ‘Yeh Dil Aashiqana’, and you also made your small screen debut under her production house. How influential has she been in making you a star?
Jividha: Aruna Irani ji has always been family to me. She saw that I was an outsider with no background—her own journey was satisfying, and she too had no background. She used to see herself in me and treated me like a daughter. Be it ‘Yeh Dil Aashiqana’, or the TV shows—people felt as if I was her real child, hahaha! We are family even now. She’s an inspiration to me, and one of the reasons I stayed in the film industry is because of her.
Sandy: How was it working with Karan Nath? Your pairing with him became quite the talk of the town, with great chemistry that played a big part in the film’s success. The title song is still one of the most listened-to romantic youth numbers to date.
Jividha: Karan and I both wanted this to be our debut—we made it happen! Our equation was terrific, and we both worked really hard. We used to talk a lot about the scenes, shared the low and high days, and had a great time on set. Off set, he was good to me too. Karan’s parents are wonderful, and till today, we meet and relish those days. It’s a special bond that we share.
Sandy: You made your Tollywood debut with Nandamuri Taraka Ratna’s ‘Yuvaratna’. The song ‘Sanna Jaaji Puvva’ is still a memorable number to this day. Could you share your experience of that film?
Jividha: I’m blessed to have hit songs in all my films. Tarak Ratna was from the NTR family, and it featured music by MM Kreem (MM Keeravani). I worked with legends—similar to the Tamil film legends I’ve collaborated with, so I feel truly blessed. I enjoyed shooting for my South films.
Sandy: Could you throw some light on your Punjabi film career?
Jividha: My Punjabi film debut was with Gurdas Mann—another legend, known as a god in Punjab. I feel blessed to have played a role in his film early in my career. Recently, I was talking to someone, and at this stage of life, I’ve seen three of my films re-released: Taal, Yaar Annmulle last year, and now Yeh Dil Aashiqana. So I’m super happy!
Sandy: Talking about your stint with serials like Tum Bin Jaaun Kahan and others, you made a mark there too! A few snippets on it?
Jividha: An actor is the same anywhere—I never limited myself to movies, shows, ads, serials, or commercials. I explored and was quite happy, never restricted by formats. My TV experience was beautiful. Aruna Irani’s production was Tum Bin Jaaun Kahan on Zee TV, and I also did Zameen Se Aasman Tak on Sahara with Kiran Kumar, Asha Chandran and others . I worked with known names, and my stint on the small screen was equally amazing.
Sandy: Given a chance, what different do you think you could have done in terms of your filmography?
Jividha: I could have done more films for sure—more projects, but when I reflect, I’m happy with the class work I did as a heroine in notable projects. So I’m at a happy space with myself. I’m still doing movies and shows, but this time behind the camera.
Quick Shot Round:
– If you were to barter your career for a day with someone, with whom would it be? I have no idea, maybe not an actor. I would love to be in the shoes of an Oscar-level producer in Hollywood! Hahaha
– Most used app on your phone: It has to be WhatsApp
– Imagine being stuck in a lift with two other celebs—with whom would you like to be stuck? Priyanka Chopra and Arijit Singh. They are fabulous!
– Favorite holiday destination: It has to be a place with the hills
– A film you saw recently and felt like being a part of it: A South film, Lokah. it’s a beautiful film
– Biggest regret: No regrets. Sitting amidst highs and lows, I’ve enjoyed my life, so no regrets
– Biggest fear: No fears, I’m fearless. I’m only answerable to myself, and I’m a big believer in the universe and God. God is there, so no fear
– Favorite actor/actress in the current generation: I like Kriti Sanon a lot! She’s a great performer. And, Ranbir Kapoor
– Good and bad about the industry: The good is that dreams come true here – work and dreams do come true. This is the industry where you can achieve anything. The bad? No real bad, but negatives exist—it’s two sides of a coin. We should start giving chances to more people. Kuku Kohli and Aruna Irani ji gave me and many others chances, so we need more people like them.
– Directors you would like to work with: There are a lot! Right now, I’m working with Shimit Amin; his craft is amazing. He’s a master in his field.
Sandy: What kind of roles are you now open to in terms of acting?
Jividha: I’m open to acting, but I don’t want to do just anything, whatever I do has to be worthy. I’m open to all kinds of roles; it depends on the makers. The storytellers need to be impressive, and the makers are important to me.
Sandy: What’s in the pipeline for Jividha in the coming months?
Jividha: My last film as a lead was ‘Phir Ussi Mod Par’, the final film of director Lekh Tandon, based on triple talaq. It got honored at the Berlin Film Festival in 2019. I started switching to behind-the-scenes work in 2016, getting into the business side. Since then, I’ve been working on platforms and associations with production houses – on Hotstar, Star Bharat, Zee Business. I work as the head, launched a broadcast channel, and serve as a business partner and producer. The firm is called Cinecorps Cinematic Venture Limited. We did Hisaab Barabar with Madhavan—it’s on Zee5.
Sandy: Any advice you would like to give to newcomers entering the industry?
Jividha: Be it a newcomer or an artist, being an artist is a subjective thing. There is no holistic way of looking at it; it’s different for everyone. But I would say: be humble, keep working on yourself, go on, don’t stop. Don’t listen to naysayers—genuinely believe in yourself.
Sandy: With ‘Yeh Dil Aashiqana’ re-releasing, do you have anything to say to your fans and the fans of the film?
Jividha: Our film has been loved for years and no one forgot it. It’s still relevant today, which is a great thing. Performance-wise, each of us gave our best. I extend my wishes for the film, please do watch it again, and give it love!
Editor’s note: It was an absolute pleasure interviewing Jividha Sharma and sharing her inspiring journey with our readers. Wishing Jividha a blockbuster path ahead. May she continue captivating us with her timeless talent and exciting projects!
Follow Jividha @jividhasharma_official
Follow Sandy @blabwithsandy
Interview by Sandeep Rao