Embracing the Role of Aliya: Kashmira Pardeshi’s Journey to ‘The Freelancer’

By Awesome TV

Embracing the Role of Aliya: Kashmira Pardeshi’s Journey to ‘The Freelancer’

In an unexpected turn of events, Kashmira Pardeshi found herself stepping into the shoes of Aliya, a character she felt an instant connection with. The anticipation finally paid off for Kashmira as she prepares to grace the screen in Disney+ Hotstar’s much-anticipated series, ‘The Freelancer.’

Amid the backdrop of war-torn Syria, ‘The Freelancer’ explores the gripping narrative of a man embarking on a daring extraction mission to rescue a young girl trapped within the clutches of death. Set to premiere on September 1, 2023, this ambitious series, adapted from Shirish Thorat’s book ‘A Ticket to Syria,’ boasts the creative prowess of director Bhav Dhulia and the production expertise of Friday Storytellers, led by the visionary Neeraj Pandey.

Steering the series are accomplished actors Mohit Raina and Anupam Kher, complemented by the exceptional talent of Kashmira Pardeshi, alongside an ensemble cast including Sushant Singh, John Kokken, Gauri Balaji, Navneet Malik, Manjiri Faddnis, and Sarah Jane Dias.

Kashmira Pardeshi, in a candid revelation, recounts the serendipitous moment when she received the call to audition for the lead role. Recalling the September day while she was shooting in Kerala’s Alleppey on a houseboat, Pardeshi shared, “Shubham Sir texted me about the Hotstar special directed by Neeraj Pandey, and it was for the lead role. Neeraj Pandey had always been on top of my director wishlist, so I hastily prepared my audition tape.” The waiting game began after being shortlisted, and as months passed, doubts crept in. Yet, her conviction in the role of Aliya never wavered, leading her to gracefully accept the uncertainty and move on.

April brought an unexpected twist, as Kashmira received the call that marked her transformation into Aliya. “The role of Aliya felt like it was mine,” she confessed, embodying the essence of her character even before officially stepping into her shoes.

Prepare to join the exhilarating journey to rescue Aliya as ‘The Freelancer’ unravels its gripping narrative, starting September 1, 2023, exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar.

About the author

Neha Nikharge

Neha Nikharge is Assistant Editor at Awesome TV and a writer for AWSM Times. Neha covers Bollywood, OTT releases, celebrity interviews and pop culture for South Asian audiences in the US and around the world, and has written more than 4,500 stories for Awesome TV. Story tips and corrections: hello@awesometv.com.

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