Aisha Ahmed and Yashaswini Dayama popularly known as Nikhat and Ray from the series ‘Adulting’ have ventured into the world of audio as their famous show came out in audio-only format this September. Joining News18 for an exclusive conversation, the two women talked to us about the new format of their show and shared the pros and cons of being adults, among many other things.
Excerpts from the interview:
About the audio version of their popular show Adulting.
Yashaswini Dayama: There are 20 episodes on Audible, which means it is only in the audio format. The episodes are fresh and there is no repeat whatsoever. Timeline-wise, it is placed between seasons 1 and 2. And I think it’s a lot of fun because there is so much that happens. There are new characters, family, and friends.
Aisha Ahmed: And a lot more struggles of adulting. But you feel like you’re a part of these girls’ lives. And that’s really nice and fun. It’s like being a third friend because audio is such an intimate experience. You’re listening to them and you can imagine their world the way you want. I’m very biased towards the audible show because I feel like we got to do a lot more and tell a lot more.
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One thing both of you hate and love about adulting?
Yashaswini: I don’t like how much it sneaks up on you. It’s constantly telling you that you think you’re prepared but you’re not. And when you feel like you’ve just gotten over some huge ordeal, something else will just sneak up on you. But everything in life has a balance. Because the struggles are so heavy when you grow up, the pros of growing up are also really fun. You can do whatever you want, you can go wherever you want, you can buy whatever you want. I love that sort of independence about adulting because I didn’t have it as a child.
Aisha: Two things that I absolutely hate about adulting and being an adult is -you have to make people work and nobody likes to do work. Like you have to talk to the electrician or the plumber or painter or carpenter and they don’t take you seriously also because you may be an adult but you look like a young girl. There is another thing I have learnt over the years is that if you’re a girl, it’s harder to get work done by older men because they just don’t take you seriously. Initially, I thought it was not a real thing but experiencing it every single day makes me realize that this is true. The other day, Yashaswini and I were in a rickshaw and we were telling the rickshaw guy the directions but he was not listening to us. Just because we were two young girls.
But I like being my own boss. I think that you can buy whatever you want, you can go wherever you want, you can make plans and they will actually happen. You are not waiting for your mom or dad to approve anything.
Yashawini, from an adult in Adulting to a school student in Delhi Crime, how was the shift for you as an actor?
It was actually the other way around. I finished Delhi Crime and Made in Heaven and then I came to do Adulting. So it was just like growing up where I did the teenager things and then I suddenly felt like I need to do something that makes me feel like my age. And I found Adulting. So it felt right because I have a lot of young energy, I have a lot of juvenility and immaturity inside of me, which is not what the characters are about when I played the 15-year-old, but just that naivety is what I needed to channel. And it manifested in the form of those roles.
And then after that, I felt like I need to feel like my age and then I found Adulting. I really believe in finding stuff serendipitously. So it’s been nice.
How much does a show like Delhi Crime and your character in it help you show your calibre and did it impact you as an actor?
First of all, the character is so well written, because you can see the research and the effort. And she’s not just a random daughter that needs to be there to show some part of Shefali ma’am’s (Shefali Shah) character’s life. She’s a part of the universe, her actions and inactions are part of the domino effect that put things in place. There is a lot of writing to teach you performance, writing to teach you how to think. Then at the same time, there are good directors who tell you how more you can explore all of that. And then there are co-actors like Shefali Shah. Just looking at her breath, you will learn so much more than you could have learned anywhere else. When I was apprehensive about acting, my mom used to tell me not to worry so much and tell me that if I got the part, there must be something right about me, something that fits. And then after that point, just think of it as you’re getting paid to learn. Because there is no other way to learn better than being right at the crux of everything.
When you guys were growing up, were there any shows or films on adulting that gave you a completely wrong idea about this phase of life?
Yashaswini: I don’t want to call out anything specifically but in general, a lot of our content was very superficial. At least the mainstream content that was easily accessible was very superficial and back then, the trend was to not show the uncomfortable parts of life. It was about how idealistic and how beautiful things can be and how extreme positivity or extreme negativity was looked upon. The delicate balance of discomfort which is adulting was never really pushed forward.
Aisha: Also, what is really nice about Adulting is I remember when we were starting off, I was talking to someone and she had a very clear idea that we don’t want to make it about all the flowery things or we don’t want to put down any sort of people and be like, this person has done wrong. If you’re making a show about two girls who are growing up let’s not try to take it to extremes, let’s keep it as real and as relatable, which wasn’t happening when we were growing up.
Any advice you would like to give to people stepping into adulthood?
Yashaswini: Take it slow. There’s no need to rush things. There’s no need to take decisions that you’re not comfortable with. Because life is very long. For the next five-seven years, you’ll feel like all your decisions and their consequences matter. But in the long run, everything will just fall into place. Even if you make mistakes, don’t kill yourself over them. Don’t beat yourself over it. Everything will find its pace and rhythm.
Aisha: There’s a lot of pressure, suddenly, because you’re an adult. It happens to me that if I make a decision that probably hurt somebody, I feel like I’m a bad person. No, that’s not what it is. Be very easy on yourself. And surround yourself with people who actually make you happy.
Yashaswini: Even if you feel you’re losing people in the process, life will find a way to keep the good people around. And you also have to actively put in the effort to maintain relationships, but cherish good people. That’s more important than things that we actually end up prioritizing when we’re growing up. It’s important to always keep your eye on the bigger picture, don’t get sucked into any sort of specific mould.
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