Sahen Upadhyay's tryst with theatre has just begun and she is loving it so far

What does it take for someone who is new to the city to fall in love with Hyderabad? Well, we figure it's different things for different people. For aspiring director Sahen Upadhyay, it was theatre. Three months ago, she made the long journey from Gurugram to Hyderabad to pursue a filmmaking course, specialising in Direction and Editing, at Annapurna College of Film and Media. "I have always wanted to be in the filmmaking industry, behind the camera that is," she says. 

She wishes to work with directors Zoya Akhtar and Imtiaz Ali

But before turning her interest to directing, she took to the stage as an actor, albeit reluctantly. Referring to the play You Can't Take It With You, the 18-year-old says, "I always found performing live to be scary, but the script was so interesting, I had to give in." Sahen played the central role of Nidhi, a girl stuck in a 9 to 5 job while the rest of her family is into creative pursuits. When the family of the guy she likes comes visiting, things get messy. "We had more than a month to prepare," she informs. Everyone loved the play and her second play, the Night of January 16th, went off in the same vein.

Sahen Upadhyay | (Pic: Sahen Upadhyay)

Now, Sahen consciously chooses theatre. She strongly believes that to be a good director, she needs to be a good actor so that she can empathise with what the characters go through. "I am just trying to observe myself and other actors so that in the future, it can help me direct better," says the youngster, who is also a Kathak dancer. Aside from this, she loves the fact that acting requires one to don a whole new role spontaneously. "I am not Sahen anymore and my problems don't exist, at least not for the time I am on stage," she shares and laughs. She believes that her days of being an actor are also teaching her to be more disciplined.

Acting is completely new to her

So, has Sahen warmed up to Hyderabad now? "Oh, yes! I come from North India and we all have stereotypes in our head about the South. But it is so different and lovely. All I've been receiving are positive vibes," she says with a smile. She hopes that her journey in the city will continue to help her get closer to her ultimate dream of making movies.  

On stage

In You Can't Take It With You | (Pic: Sahen Upadhyay)

In Night of January 16th | (Pic: Sahen Upadhyay)

For more on her, check out instagram.com/sahenupadhyay