Aarna Bhadoriya recalls Akshay Kumar’s advice on dealing with trolls

Aarna Bhadoriya was just four years old when she started working in showbiz. Since then, she has faced several kinds of trolls and criticism and has learned the art of dealing with it all. (Also read| Raksha Bandhan’s Deepika Khanna on ‘double decker’ line: ‘Autowalas, strangers tell me to lose weight)

Aarna worked with Akshay Kumar on the Anand L Rai film Rakshabandhan. She played his sister in the film, and her character’s challenge was to control her weight in order to get a good match for marriage. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, the actor talks about her struggles with body image, her journey in showbiz and much more.

Aarna on trolls attacking her body image

“I never get upset by comments and trolls as my brother and mother help me a lot. When we shot for Rakshabandhan, Akshay sir told me and Deepika (Deepika Khanna who essayed her elder version in the film) di to ‘never listen or never see to the hatred side. It’s your look and you would never change it for the people who say’/ He taught us a line: ‘Log toh kahenge logon ka kaam hai kehna (People will say something, it is just how they are)’. He asked us to always keep growing and only move upwards.”

Asked about her fandom, Aarna shared that she meets her fans almost on a daily basis as she gets to see them each time she visits the local market.

Studies and Shoots

Elaborating on how she manages to juggle between studies and shoots, Aarna said, “I do my studies on set whenever I get free time or when it is an off day for the shoot. I also go to the tuitions and study. All I can say is my studies aren’t being affected due to my acting projects. Eventually, both are equally managed.”

Akshay Kumar made special arrangements for kids on the set

Recalling the time she played the role of Akshay Kumar’s sister in Rakshabandhan, Aarna said, “My experience on Rakshabandhan was amazing. The whole cast, crew, and team were so good, especially Akshay sir. He had a different aura on set and he used to shower the kids with love (on sets) whenever he would be just sitting free.”

She added, “He used to play with us, talk to us and the best part was that he used to make memories and record amazing videos on his phone, and also he used to play with the funny filters of Snapchat on the set with us and we used to enjoy a lot. Sometimes Anand sir had to scold Akshay sir for causing trouble behind the camera.” Aarna also said that Akshay was very kind to everyone on set and he’d even teach the kids to respect the elders and parents.

Asked if Akshay’s discipline and being an early riser caused her any difficulties while working on the Anand L Rai film, Aarna said, “Akshay sir didn’t make it difficult for us because he asked the production to allow the kids to get some rest. He had asked them to keep our call time late so that we could get proper rest. If the actual shift began at 8 am, our call-time would be noon or evening. He would always say ‘Pehle bachon ke shots finish karo and unhe free karo so that woh aaram kar paye (Complete the kids’ shoot first so they can rest)’. He always used to support us.”

Aarna and success

Aarna also shared how she has seen people around her change with the success that she has got over the past few years. “These were my people who wouldn’t talk to me and even their parents would not join us. But, today as I am famous, I appeared in so many shows and movies so now they invite me to their functions and urge me like their kids’ posts.”

Recalling her earliest days in acting, Aarna said, “At the age of four, I did Mariam Khan Reporting Live and the worst thing happened. Right on the first day of the shoot in Mumbai, the set in film city and then I fell from the stairs of set and I got a fracture in my leg and I was advised 15-days’ bed rest. However, I’d still go for shoots as I couldn’t get out from the scenes that time. It was a tough time for me shooting at that time but the whole set supported me and helped me most of the time.”

She added, “Kya Haal Mr Panchaal and Mariam Khan Reporting Live are the shows which I can’t ever forget in my life they are one of my best experiences for life. After one episode I received a very lovely gift from Vipul sir (show producer) and he personally came to meet me on set to inform that he liked that episode so much that he appreciated a lot and send my nomination for the ITA awards 2019 for the best serial female child actor award and it was very proud for me at the age of six, and none of the kids at that time was in nomination at that time only I was there for the ITA awards.”

Apart from these TV shows, Aarna has featured in popular mythological shows such as Balveer Returns along with her brother Akshay Bhadoriya.