Actor Aishwarya Sushmita believes “war is not the solution” with regard to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and hopes that both the countries can “sit and talk it out”. She shot in Ukraine last year for her debut web project Special Ops 1.5, and feels quite affected by the current events.

“It is sad to see what is happening there. I hope the leaders communicate and end this conflict. The world’s economy, neighbouring countries — the crisis is affecting everyone around the world. Fuel prices will rise due to this and it will lead to other issues,” she says.

The actor vividly remembers the warmth of the people of Ukraine and the great experience of shooting there. “We shot in Ukraine for almost a fortnight in July 2021, and we stayed in its capital, Kyiv,” she recalls.

In the break between shoots, she explored the city and came away impressed. She adds, “We visited many churches, and the architecture was marvellous. The food was fabulous, too. The only problem was the language, as many people there couldn’t speak English. And we had to rely on apps that helped us translate. I must say, the people there were quite warm and welcoming. In fact, Kyiv was not very expensive, so I shopped a lot and even told my parents to plan a trip there soon.”

Aishwarya Sushmita shooting for Special Ops 1.5 in Ukraine