Actress Zoya Hussain has opened up about her approach to acting and the challenge of portraying characters with complex inner worlds, ahead of the release of the upcoming series Hunkkaar: The Roar.
The series explores accusation, power and the institutions surrounding an influential spiritual figure. The story unfolds after 17-year-old student Meenu Rawat accuses Sunil “Baapji” Chakosi, with the narrative examining the perspectives of people within his sphere of influence.
The series also explores questions of belief, authority and the motivations that lead individuals to seek acceptance among those considered the chosen ones.
Discussing what drew her to the project’s themes, Zoya said the complexities of the characters and their different psychological states were particularly compelling.
“All you’ve mentioned above are seductive concepts, they make us feel good and believe, the complexities of the people fighting within his world to prove themselves worthy, to be the chosen ones, while operating from very different states of minds, I think the audience will enjoy watching, and of course, the ‘why’ of it all,” she said.
Asked about finding the emotional truth of her character, particularly in moments where silence can be as significant as dialogue, Zoya stressed the importance of listening to fellow performers.
“So much of one’s performance is just listening to your co-actors speak while they do their thing. If you’ve done your homework before coming to set, taking in what everyone else is saying, holding space for that and reacting to that usually helps you out,” she said.
Zoya said her biggest interest in the character lay in communicating the character’s conditioning, worldview and surroundings without relying heavily on dialogue.
“What interested me most about this character was – how does one convey everything this person represents, the world she inhabits, her conditioning, her worldview, her views etc without really saying much at all?” she said.
She added that she approached the role by exploring how audiences would understand the character when she first appears and how her different layers could gradually be revealed.
Hunkkaar: The Roar will begin streaming on JioHotstar from September 25.