Stunningly beautiful former actress-singer Salma Agha was emotionally overwhelmed when she first saw her charming daughter Sasheh Agha sashaying on the big screen whilst watching Aurangzeb. “It’s a dream come true for me, as I always wished that my daughter should make her debut with a Yashraj movie. My biggest regret is that Chopra-saab is no more with us. Because, several years ago, it was Yashji who had initially seen my daughter and predicted that she was ‘potential star-material,” sighs Salma who is toying with the idea of directing a woman-centric movie.
No prizes for guessing that daughter Zaara (that’s Sasheh’s real name) is bound to be considered for the lead role in her mom’s venture. Although the movie Aurangzeb is carrying mixed reports, Sasheh is thrilled that (like Parveen Babi in Deewaar) she has ‘wowed’ the audiences with her oomph-oozing dare-bare scenes opposite her co-star Arjun Kapoor. A bizarre coincidence is that, clashing with the release of Aurangzeb last week, was this movie I Don’t Love U starring actor Ruslaan Mumtaaz, an off-screen good friend of Sasheh.
While the newcomer heroine prefers a dignified silence over the ‘touchy’ issue, she is candid about her career moves. “Although I have this sweet, naïve face, Aditya Chopra-sir specifically told me in advance that my power-driven character Ritu is bold, coquettish and there would be skin-show scenes which would be aesthetically shot. Which I felt would be a creative challenge for me to defy my angelic looks and portray sensuous sizzle. Now that the movie has released, almost everyone whom I met has told me, I have done a cool debut job,” shrugs Sasheh who has been loyal to her ‘first love’ which is singing.
“Actually not many are aware that singing is an ancestral tradition being passed on from my previous three generations. Vocal music runs in my blood and genes. Which is why I was delighted when I got this opportunity to sing this special number ‘Barbaadiyaan’ in Aurangzeb with composer Ram Sampat, which has been well-appreciated. But my prime focus would always be acting,” says Sasheh, who has a three-film contract with the Yashraj banner.
What is the maternal mantra she has imbibed from her glam-mom Salma? “My mom has constantly been my guiding force, who has advised me to always remain down-to-earth, versatile, optimistic, yet focused in life,” she signs off.