Was obsessed with my child, needed to find my identity: Soha on acting comeback with ‘Chhorii 2’

Mumbai: Actor Soha Ali Khan, who is back to acting with “Chhorii 2” after a seven-year hiatus, said she found herself drifting away from movies when she became a parent and recently realised it was time to reclaim her identity.

The actor, known for films such as “Rang De Basanti”, “Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster”, “Tum Mile” and “Ahista Ahista”, welcomed daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu with actor-filmmaker husband Kunal Kemmu in 2017. She was last seen in "Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3", which released in 2018.

“Truth be told, when I became a parent - because I'm an obsessive person - I became obsessed with my child. I forgot not just films but my family, friends, husband and everyone. I was just obsessed with this child and now she's older. She doesn't need me anymore. So, I need to find something. I need my identity,” Soha told PTI.

“So, now I go back and say, ‘Please, can I do some work again because nobody wants me anymore at home’. So, that's the truth - you mustn't lose yourself. I'm one of those people who lost themselves and now I must find myself again. I love what I'm doing. So, I took a little hiatus, but I'm back,” she added.

When “Chhorii 2” director Vishal Furia and producer Vikram Malhotra approached her for the role of the antagonist in the film, the 46-year-old actor said she took no time in saying yes.

“The actor in me was like, ‘I want to play an antagonist and I love horror’. I think that it is one of the most compelling forms of cinema. If it's done well, it can absorb you; it can move you from your seat and stay with you for days and months. Like, when I saw my first horror film, I was way too young, I couldn't sleep for three months. So, that's the kind of impact it has on you,” she recalled.

“Chhorii”, which released in 2021, revolved around a pregnant woman named Sakshi, played by Nushratt Bharuccha, whose unborn child is targeted by evil spirits. It was the remake of Furia’s 2017 Marathi film “Lapachhapi”.

The sequel, which is streaming on ‘Prime Video’, is a continuation of events in Sakshi's story. It will bring back some key characters as well as introduce new scares.

Despite initial excitement, Soha said she had concerns regarding her look as an antagonist in the film.

“My first concern, as a girl, was how am I going to look as a slightly monstrous woman I don't want it to look badly done or tacky. I don't know how Indian horror has been done. So, it's a leap of faith. But I'm also the kind of person who takes a leap of faith and I trust my team. I'm so glad I did because we've seen the film and it's looking phenomenal. It exceeded my expectations.”

“Chhorii 2” is a ‘T-Series’, ‘Abundantia Entertainment’, ‘Psych’ and ‘Tamarisk Lane Production’.