Ayesha Kapur became a familiar face to audiences at just 10 when she played young Michelle in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Black’. Her performance earned widespread appreciation and an award, but the attention that followed the film also had an impact on how she approached her career.After appearing in ‘Sikandar’ in 2009, Ayesha took a long break from films. She later featured in the Tamil web series ‘Sweet Kaaram Coffee’, but largely stayed away from the Hindi film industry. Now, reflecting on her journey, the actor has spoken about growing up in the public eye, moving beyond her most recognisable role and wanting to explore different kinds of characters.
Ayesha says acting remains her first love
Despite spending years away from the big screen, Ayesha says her passion for acting never disappeared. She continues to enjoy the process of developing a character and collaborating with people on set.Speaking to Hindustan Times, she shared, “It’s great to be acting again. I love acting and the whole process of developing the character, working with the team, and being on set. Acting was my first love, and will always be my first love. I just hope I get more chances to keep working, keep acting, and exploring.”Her career began with ‘Black’, followed by ‘Sikandar’ four years later. She then stepped away from films for several years, a decision that gave her an opportunity to experience life away from the constant attention that came with being a child actor.
The shadow of ‘Black’ stayed with her
Ayesha’s portrayal of young Michelle in ‘Black’ remains one of the most memorable parts of her early career. However, the strong response to the film also meant that audiences continued to associate her closely with the character long after she had moved on.“Yes, it’s been a long break,” the actor admits.Looking back, Ayesha feels the gap also allowed her to return with a different identity. Instead of being viewed only through the lens of her childhood performance, she could now be seen as an adult actor with the freedom to take on roles that reflected where she was in life.“The break definitely allows people to see me as an adult in a film, separately from that girl from Black. Of course, people still remember that for some reason. It’s still in people’s hearts,” she adds.For Ayesha, the long gap has offered an opportunity to return to acting with a fresh perspective. Having started her career as a child, she now hopes to build a body of work that allows audiences to see her beyond the character that made her famous.