Ahsaas Channa reveals entertainment industry forced her to play boy roles as child actor: ‘They didn’t let my hair grow back’ |

Ahsaas Channa revealed that her early roles as a boy in Bollywood weren’t intentional. Her shaved head, post a traditional ceremony, led to her casting in Vaastu Shastra. Subsequent success cemented this typecasting, despite her mother’s concerns. While she continued acting in boy roles, including in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, her mother ensured she maintained her female identity off-screen.

Actor Ahsas Channa recently it wasn’t her conscious call to play roles of opposite gender. She added that the entertainment industry forced her to play boy roles as a child actor.
In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Ahsaas explained that playing a boy in Bollywood wasn’t a deliberate choice but rather a result of circumstances. She had her mundan ceremony at the age of three, which left her bald. At the time, auditions for Vaastu Shastra were taking place, and they needed a child for the role. She auditioned, and while they liked her performance, they initially wanted a boy for the part.

The actress shared that when she was four, her mother was persuaded to let her play a boy in Vaastu Shastra, thinking there was no harm since she was so young. After the film became a hit, she gained recognition in the industry. However, with child actors, it’s essential to have the right personality. Following Vaastu Shastra, she appeared in films like Never say goodbye (KANK), but she mentioned that the industry’s insistence on keeping her hair short affected her psychologically as a young child.

She concluded that despite playing a boy on screen, she always knew her true identity as a girl, with her mother constantly reminding her. She balanced school and working on sets as a girl, understanding that acting was just part of her job. She emphasized that while this experience could affect others, it didn’t impact her sense of self.

Ahsaas further explained that it wasn’t a conscious decision to play a girl after Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Phoonk. She mentioned that her mother wanted her to stop playing male roles after KANK, but because things were going so well and they were getting great opportunities, they didn’t want to turn them down. She highlighted that turning down a chance to work in a Karan Johar film with stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta would have been difficult.
She also shared that her mother recognised the opportunities were beneficial for her future and career, which is why they continued. However, when she turned 10, her mother decided it was time for a break. They took a few months off to let her relax, and then Phoonk came along.