"Being An Outsider, God Knows, I've Had To Work To Get Here," Says "Class" Debutant Ayesha Kanga 

Ayesha Kanga made her Bollywood debut this year with the web series Class, in which she played the headstrong character of a girl named Yashika. Kanga is a topper from the National Institute of Design (NID) and has been recognised for her work in the fashion industry by Vogue magazine.

Talking about her journey, Ayesha said, "Being an industry outsider who's never even really foot in an acting class—god knows, I've had to work to get here. But I’ve never felt more driven than I am today. As an actor perpetually motivated to carve a distinctive niche, I’m committed to working tirelessly to substantiate my work as an actor and make an indelible mark on an industry I’ve loved for so long."Ayesha Kanga is thrilled about the year that she has had. She says, "What a year it's been. The overwhelming love that Class received gave me the confidence boost I needed to present myself to the world unapologetically. And credit goes to possibly the greyest mean-girl archetype, Yashika. Debuting as a character as headstrong and feisty as her gave me so much to work with. I fell in love with her the day I auditioned."

Thanking the filmmaker for the role, Ayesha added, "An unending thanks to the visionary, Ashim Ahluwalia, for giving me the creative freedom to mould this character into my own. Whether it was re-writing Yashika’s dialogue, co-creating a scene that wasn't written into the show, writing the digital inserts of livestream comments and text messages on the show, or suggesting outfits she'd wear, thank you for letting me bring Yashika to life."