Returning to the screen with the second season of She, Aaditi Pohankar says she had a lot to learn from her on-screen character, an underdog constable who goes undecover as a sex worker. “Like Bhumi, I have stopped planning, and I am simply living in the present. She is a smart girl, and playing her has made me more courageous. It has meddled with my mind. I have taken 10 steps ahead in life, and I’m sure my professional life will take another turn as well.”

 Although the Netflix series took a toll on her emotionally, she says her passion for the performing arts saw her through. “I am passionate about performing. Initially, I would think about how I would perform. I would watch Hollywood films [to find a reference]. The first time I met Imitiaz sir [Ali, showrunner], I realised he had a clear idea of certain scenes. I told him I was really shy, and wondered how we’d deal with them. And he’d say we’d go as far as I wanted to. That made me comfortable. I let myself follow the script.”