Bhooth Bangla’s Chhaya Vora makes REVELATIONS about how Akshay Kumar was OFF SCREEN: ‘Would gather some of..’

For an actress who started her journey on the Gujarati stage in 1986, that feeling of home means everything. And right now, home looks a lot like a Priyadarshan set filled with Akshay Kumar, Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Wamiqa Gabbi and Mithila Palkar.

Chhaya Vora is not new to audiences. You have seen her as Gangubai’s mother in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi. Television fans know her as the lead in Shubharambh. A whole generation remembers her from the Unacademy ad that turned “Jeet gayi teri India” into a nationwide emotion. Theatre lovers still share her viral Rajesh Khanna tribute soliloquy. Her Gujarati films Sharato Lagu and Chabutro only add to a career built quietly, role by role, across mediums.

Speaking exclusively to India Forums, Chhaya Vora described what the set felt like. “Being part of Priyadarshan sir’s film has always been special to me, especially as a longtime admirer of Priyan ji, Akshay ji, and the entire team.”

That admiration turned into belonging almost instantly. “The most beautiful part was the way everyone welcomed me, like a family member returning home after a long time. The warmth, respect, and love felt so familiar, so genuine.”

Every new project brings nerves, and she admits to feeling them. “In the initial days, I was a bit conscious, new character, new space. But that changed quickly.” The credit, she says, goes to Akshay Kumar.

The most beautiful part was the way everyone welcomed me, like a family member returning home after a long time. The warmth, respect, and love felt so familiar, so genuine

- Chhaya Vora

“Akshay ji brought an effortless comfort to the set. Between shots, while lights were being set, he would gather some of us for simple games, Ludo, cards, and in those moments, all awkwardness just disappeared. There’s something magical about play, it brings out the child in you. And I think that’s exactly what he intended. When you feel light and at ease, your performance naturally shines. He understands that deeply.”

Then there is Priyadarshan himself. For Chhaya Vora, words are not enough. “What can I even say? Words fall short. Working with a maestro like him is an emotion in itself. He has an incredible mastery over shaping an artist’s performance. His subtle, almost mesmerising way of guiding you brings out the best in you so effortlessly.”

Akshay ji brought an effortless comfort to the set. Between shots, while lights were being set, he would gather some of us for simple games, Ludo, cards, and in those moments, all awkwardness just disappeared. There’s something magical about play, it brings out the child in you. And I think that’s exactly what he intended. When you feel light and at ease, your performance naturally shines. He understands that deeply.

- Chhaya Vora

The set was a masterclass every day. She was sharing frames with actors who have defined Priyadarshan’s cinema for decades. “And then there was the sheer joy of sharing the frame with legends who have been part of Priyan ji’s universe for decades, Paresh Rawal ji, Asrani ji, Manoj Joshi ji, Rajpal Yadav ji, and the incomparable Tabu ji. Watching them work up close was a masterclass in itself. Each one of them carries a lifetime of craft so lightly, so naturally. Just being in the same space as them felt like an honour.”

It was not just the veterans. The new generation brought its own fire. “And alongside all of this, there was a completely different kind of energy that Wamiqa Gabbi and Mithila Palkar brought to the set. Talented, spirited, and so wonderfully alive in every moment, they reminded me of what it looks like when passion meets pure instinct. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and their craft, impressive. The set felt younger and brighter every time they were around.”

And then there was the sheer joy of sharing the frame with legends who have been part of Priyan ji’s universe for decades, Paresh Rawal ji, Asrani ji, Manoj Joshi ji, Rajpal Yadav ji, and the incomparable Tabu ji. Watching them work up close was a masterclass in itself. Each one of them carries a lifetime of craft so lightly, so naturally. Just being in the same space as them felt like an honour

- Chhaya Vora

For Chhaya Vora, this film closes a loop that started years ago in a writing room. “I had earlier been a part of his film Malamaal Weekly as a lyric writer, contributing to a song. And now, this being my first film as an actor with him… it feels like a full circle moment. What more could I possibly ask for?”

After nearly four decades across stage, television, and film, she has found a rare feeling on this project. “With each passing day, it felt less like going to work… and more like going home, from home.”

With Bhooth Bangla, Chhaya Vora is not just joining a big ensemble. She is stepping into a space she has admired from the wings for years. And this time, she is right at the center of it.