'I have always had to face auditions': Aisha Khan

You have seen Aisha Khan on the screen for titles such as 'Contract,' 'Ekta Tumi Lagbe' and more. 

The all-rounder star has recently gained popularity from her roles in films and web series, paving her way into the acting world. Just as she has done in her past works, she has garnered praise from the industry for her role as a doctor in the recently released drama series, 'Hridmajhare.'

Directed by Abu Hayat Mahmud, the drama series 'Hridmajhare' was released on the OTT platform 'DeeptoPlay' late last year. The series – and Aisha's acting – captured the audience's imagination. 

Recently, the young star spoke with The Business Standard discussing her career and more.

A rising star of all trades? 

Before Aisha Khan was an actress, she was a dancer, model and television show host. 

Despite having experience in other avenues in the entertainment industry, many only know Aisha as an actress. Is this due to a lack of promotion, or did you intentionally not market your other skills? "I guess this situation has more or less been predetermined for me," replied Aisha.

"Acting requires a lot of skills and I find it hard to call myself a full-fledged actress due to the lack of many of those skills. I think I prioritised one aspect over the others causing a few things to be left behind – which is why I am striving to improve my qualifications," she said.

Aisha's natural and versatile acting has earned her much popularity among viewers. Aisha shows great interest in the audience's feedback. Regardless of the show's popularity, people have praised Aisha as an actress on social media, and she's grateful for it.

"I won't say that this series generated as much hype as my other content," Aisha shared. "The reception of the series was much less than initially anticipated. This could be due to its limited promotion. Still, I consider the reactions I received to be positive. Since I've entered this arena with this OTT, I'm hoping for a bit more feedback," she added.

Despite being a multifaceted artist, Aisha has been focusing on her acting career. She established herself in the industry by taking on roles that got her closer to her audience as an artist. Being selective has helped her regulate her workload. 

What's more important: Quality or quantity? 

"My target has always been to not take on too much work," said Aisha.

"Since there are 12 months in a year, I don't want to do more than 12 projects. Last year, I was mostly planning what to do. Seven of my contents were released that year. There are four unreleased contents for this year," she said.

The seven releases last year created a lot of buzz around her name. So does Aisha believe in quality over quantity? "We are not all the same," she answered. 

"Everyone's thoughts and perspectives are different. Perhaps some prefer more content, while others are more attentive towards the qualitative aspect from the beginning. Rather than quantity, my inclination leans more towards quality," she added.

Aisha also has some experience working in films. However, despite her success, her opinions on planning a long-term career in acting are surprising. 

"I do have the desire to act in films, but whether it will be long-term, I don't know," said Aisha. "I would probably think a few times before working in Bangladesh's commercial movies," she further explained.

There is a common idea that, in Bangladesh, women have to go through A 'shortcut' to establish themselves in the entertainment industry or to get a big role. But Aisha claims her journey had been different. 

"I have always had to face auditions to get a big cast and they have always posed a challenge," Aisha explained. "It may be a case where someone got a big [acting] role because of their associations but I don't know anyone specifically. And regardless of the cast, at the end of the day, it's the performance that will be remembered by the audience," she concluded.