Anjuum Faakih on Dr. Aarambhi: Refused to Judge Avantika Through Society’s Lens

COLORS’ Dr. Aarambhi’ has captivated audiences with its premiere, delivering a gripping narrative that delves into the complexities of sacrifice, identity, and the strength required to reclaim one's sense of self. The show follows Aarambhi Balbir Chaudhary, portrayed by Aishwarya Khare, a gold medallist doctor who surrenders her promising career for marriage and family life. Trapped in an emotionally manipulative environment within a medical household, Aarambhi's world shatters when a health crisis and personal betrayal force her to face difficult truths. Her journey becomes one of resilience and self-discovery rather than revenge. Adding depth to this narrative is Anjuum Faakih, who plays Dr. Avantika, a confident cosmetic surgeon caught in a morally complex situation. Faakih opens up about portraying a character that exists in shades of grey, the emotional weight of playing someone society is quick to judge, and why empathy should replace labels when telling women's stories.

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1. Tell us about your character and how you prepared for the role.

A. My character, Dr. Avantika, is a cosmetic surgeon who wears confidence and independence effortlessly. She is comfortable in her own skin yet unapologetically flawed, living in that grey space where most real people exist. Neither entirely good nor outright bad, Avantika is driven by emotions that feel deeply familiar. That relatability is what made the role instinctive rather than technical. My approach was simple: bring complete honesty to the character and inhabit her world as naturally as possible. The key was to never lose sight of her humanity, regardless of the choices she makes or the situations she finds herself in.

2. How has your experience working on the show been so far, and what kind of bond do you share with your co-actors?

A. The experience has been genuinely welcoming from day one. I've had the privilege of working with the creative director and Mukta ma'am previously, which established a foundation of trust that makes all the difference. When people believe in your abilities, it creates an environment where you feel supported to take risks and be vulnerable. What's particularly special about this set is the mutual respect and genuine affection among the cast and crew, and that chemistry translates seamlessly on screen. We've created beautiful memories together, shared plenty of laughter off camera, and developed a comfort level that allows us to be fully present with each other during scenes. The entire atmosphere has been refreshingly positive, which makes the work feel less like work.  

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3. Your character is in love with a married man and may face harsh judgment. How did you approach portraying this character without making her one-dimensional?

A. From the very beginning, I made a conscious decision not to play Avantika through the lens of societal judgment. She's a human being first, not a stereotype or a plot device. Every woman carries emotions and vulnerabilities and makes choices that shape who they are. Avantika has depth and layers. She gets where she stands in her life and remains focused on what matters to her. She loves Vishwas deeply, and when emotions take over, consequences often fade into the background. That’s the nature of love; it doesn’t always think rationally. I didn’t want to play her as right or wrong because life rarely works in absolutes. To make her feel real and relatable, I chose to approach her as a normal human being, not label her as the other woman. Characters like hers deserve to be told with empathy, not boxed into easy judgments that society is comfortable making.

4. ⁠Is there anything that disturbed you about playing a character like Dr. Avantika?

A. Avantika is morally grey and that makes her gripping to me. She lives with the constant awareness of her love. The quiet she is forced into, the way she must hide her feelings from the world bothers her. The character didn’t disturb me, but the emotional burden of suppressing love and truth felt unsettling. As an actor, it hit me how women carry intense, complex emotions in silence, unseen and unacknowledged. Playing Avantika stayed with me, not as discomfort, but as a stark reminder of how layered, restrained, and powerful human emotion can be.

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5. Dr. Aarambhi and Dr Avantika are both doctors, yet society pits women like them against each other. What does the show say about how women are forced to compete for legitimacy?

A. Both Aarambhi and Avantika both are highly intelligent an exceptionally capable. Yet society has this unfortunate tendency to reduce women to simplified roles and create competition where none should exist. Both characters are valid and truthful in their respective journeys, and neither deserves to be diminished. The show challenges viewers to move beyond judgments and comparisons. It invites us to understand these women and extend empathy toward their individual paths rather than confining them to narrow categories. I had read somewhere that comparison often replaces empathy when it comes to women, and that's precisely the dynamic at play between Avantika and Aarambhi. The show asks us to recognize that trap and choose a different, more compassionate response. When we stop comparing and start understanding, we create space for more honest conversations about women's lives.

6. Is Avantika in control of her life, or trapped in a different cage than Aarambhi?

A. Control looks different from the outside than it feels on the inside. Avantika is professionally successful and confident in her choices, which gives the impression that she is in control of her life. In that sense, she is self-reliant and secure. But emotionally, she carries her own fears and vulnerabilities that quietly limit her freedom. So while her cage may not look like Aarambhi’s, it still exists. Both women are on different paths, facing different struggles, yet neither is entirely free. What the show does beautifully is that it doesn’t compare or rank one woman’s strength over another’s. Instead, it shows how layered and complicated a woman’s reality can be.

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7. ⁠Do you think many people still find it easier to judge the “other woman” more harshly than the man involved in the triangle?

A. Yes, absolutely. This way of thinking is deeply rooted in our society. People are quick to judge women, while men are often given more space and excuses. I once read a line that stayed with me: judgment always reaches the woman first. In the show, Vishwas is married to Aarambhi and is also involved with Avantika, yet many viewers may see Avantika as the villain. But at her core, she is simply a woman in love. Why aren’t both people held to the same standard? That’s a question we all need to reflect on.

8. What message would you like to share with the audience?

A. Through ‘Dr. Aarambhi’, I hope viewers understand that every character has depth and deserves empathy. Choose happiness, protect your peace, and keep moving forward with a positive heart. Keep watching Dr. Aarambhi every Monday to Friday at 8.00 pm only on COLORS.

Watch ‘Dr. Aarambhi’ every Monday to Friday at 8:00 PM only on COLORS.

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