Beyond Stardom: Why Sheena Chohan Is Choosing Challenging Characters Over Conventional Roles

At a time when stardom continues to be one of the biggest currencies in the entertainment industry, a shift is increasingly visible in the way actors approach their craft. For many performers, the focus is moving from simply being the face of a project to becoming the character audiences remember.

Actress Sheena Chohan appears to be taking that route, choosing challenging and unconventional parts over roles designed merely to build a familiar screen image.

Her recent and upcoming projects reflect that intent, with each character occupying a distinctly different space. From playing a cop to stepping into a supernatural role and portraying a ghost, the choices indicate a conscious effort to avoid being typecast.

“Over the last month, three or four really exciting scripts have come my way. I’ve told directors, don’t give me the conventional roles—give me the characters that challenge me and push me as an actor. I’m looking to disappear into every character and bring something unexpected to the screen. It’s an exciting phase, and I’m embracing it completely.

For me, acting is about becoming a true blank page for the director—understanding the character deeply, surrendering to his vision, and bringing it to life with complete professionalism, preparation and passion. I don’t want to simply play a role; I want to disappear into it and serve the story in the most truthful way I can.”

That approach can be seen in Jatasya Maranam Dhruvam, where she plays Anusha, a cop opposite JD Chakravarthy. To bring credibility to the part, she went beyond conventional preparation and shadowed a real-life police officer, observing the discipline, physicality and mindset associated with the profession.

Her upcoming web series Bhaayava takes her in an entirely different direction. Playing a She-Devil, she underwent demanding harness and wire work, including swinging sequences and martial-arts-based action, while studying reference material to understand the physical world of the character.

Then there is Justice, where she portrayed a ghost searching for her own coffin — another unconventional choice that allowed her to explore a character far removed from her previous work.

Interestingly, her upcoming projects continue to underline the same philosophy. While Jatasya Maranam Dhruvam brings her into a different dramatic space, Bhaayava presents her in a darker, negative role.

The contrast is deliberate. Instead of building one predictable identity, the idea appears to be creating characters so distinct that audiences are left wondering what version of the actor they will encounter next.

For Sheena Chohan, the ambition is not simply to be recognised on screen, but to make the character impossible to forget. And perhaps that is where the new-age definition of stardom is emerging — when the audience remembers the character long after they have stopped thinking about the actor who played it.