As the long-delayed What Are The Odds drops online, Yashaswini Dayama reflects on her first lead role and how her craft has evolved
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; June 2, 2020)

Off camera, Yashaswini Dayama comes across as a goofball. But once the camera rolls, she can slip into dramatically different roles effortlessly. After being part of several prestigious projects, the actor is seen in Netflix's latest outing, What Are The Odds? Like any newbie, Dayama says she was nervous about playing the protagonist. "I was overwhelmed and exhausted," admits the actor, as she discusses her first lead role, shouldering the responsibility and more.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

What Are The Odds was made in 2019, but dropped online only now. What happened in the interim?
This was my third project, right after Phobia [2017] and Dear Zindagi [2016]. I did the film because it was a golden opportunity to be the protagonist despite being relatively new in the field. The film travelled to festivals, [but then there was talk of] re-editing it to convert it into a series. Since the story is divided as chapters, it would have been easy to make it episodic. There was some amount of re-writing done, but eventually, they [the production house] realised that the film was great and should be released as is.

How did you bag this role?
Director Megha [Ramaswamy] found me on YouTube where I had posted a ukulele rendition of a popular song. When she narrated the film about two kids who skip school and spend a day together, I was blown away. I didn't think anybody in India would make something like this.

How does it feel to be the star of the film alongside Abhay Deol?
I have always been recognised for the work I have done, even for the small role in Made In Heaven. The series featured so many amazing performers, yet I was remembered. That was an achievement. I was shooting for What Are The Odds, my first feature film as a lead, at the same time as I was working with Zoya Akhtar and Vinay Pathak. That was a magical time.

Considering you've grown as an artiste in the three years since the film was made, how do you reflect on your performance?
During my first viewing, I felt [my performance] was silly at several instances. The way I cried in the climax bothered me; I could see that I was trying hard to shed tears, thinking it would [look authentic]. But now, when I look back at it, I can't accept it. The film came my way fairly early on in my career. Post that, I have worked with so many different filmmakers and actors, and have evolved so much. My understanding of the craft has also changed. That said, I am quite proud of what I have accomplished.

Did you feel there were too many clichés in the film?
When I read the script, I completely accepted the [whimsical] universe. Everything was so beautifully odd, like the sequence of me running into a bird mob. Even when [fairy tales] are adapted to current times, like what they did with A Cinderella Story, they have magic and fantasy. You can't question it all the time. The script didn't feel clichéd. And even if it was, there is always some truth to a cliché.