‘I Have Always Loved Horror Films’: Aurosikha Mishra on Her Debut with Dahaan and What Lies Ahead

Bhubaneswar: For Cuttack-born actress Aurosikha Mishra, her debut with Dahaan – The Evil Within has turned out to be a memorable beginning to her acting journey. Directed by Anupam Patnaik, the horror film hit theatres on September 11 and has received considerable appreciation from audiences, with Mishra also winning praise for her performance.

Reflecting on the response, Mishra said she feels fortunate to receive so much love, particularly because taking up a horror film as a debut project involved considerable risk for both her and the makers.

“I am so fortunate that my first movie has received so much love from the audience. Doing a horror film as a debut was a huge risk, both for me and the makers. So, the response has made me really happy and grateful,” she said.

For Mishra, the opportunity also meant working with an experienced team. She considers herself lucky to have worked with director Anupam Patnaik and producer-actress Barsha Patnaik, who have both been associated with the National Award-winning Odia movie Pratikshya.

“It was a great experience working with Anupam Patnaik sir and Barsha ma’am. I learnt a lot while working with them. Being around people with such experience helped me understand many aspects of filmmaking and acting,” Mishra said.

Interestingly, horror was not an unfamiliar genre for the debutante. She revealed that she had been fascinated by horror films from a young age and would often scare her family, making her debut in the genre feel almost natural.

“I have loved horror movies since I was very young. I used to watch them and then scare my family members. So, when I got the opportunity to be part of a horror film, it felt quite natural to me,” she said.

Mishra’s entry into Dahaan came through her earlier work in music videos. According to the actress, Barsha Patnaik noticed her in some of her music videos, following which the production team approached her.

“Barsha ma’am had noticed me in some of my music videos. Later, the production team contacted me and that is how I got the opportunity to audition and eventually become part of the film,” Mishra recalled.

Although Dahaan marks her feature-film debut, Mishra has been associated with the entertainment world from an early age. She had worked as a child artist and also participated in beauty pageants, including KIIT Nanhipari.

“I have always had a passion for the entertainment industry. I started very young as a child artist and later participated in beauty pageants like KIIT Nanhipari. So, in a way, the interest in entertainment has always been there,” she said.

A law graduate, Mishra says she does not want to restrict herself to a particular kind of character. Instead, she wants to explore different roles and challenge herself as an actor.

“I am very open and flexible when it comes to roles. I want to play different kinds of characters and explore different genres. I don’t want to limit myself to one particular type of role,” she said.

Mishra also revealed that she is already in discussions for several projects and is expected to begin shooting soon.
“I have a few projects in discussion and I hope to start shooting very soon. I am really excited about what is coming next,” she said.
For the young actress, another collaboration with Anupam Patnaik is also something she would eagerly look forward to.

“I would definitely love to work with Anupam Patnaik sir again. It was a wonderful learning experience and I would be very happy to collaborate with him again,” Mishra said.

With Dahaan opening the doors to her film career, Mishra now hopes to build on the audience response and explore a wider range of characters in the years ahead. For an actress who grew up loving horror films, the journey from frightening her family to making her debut in a horror film has already come a full circle.