Interview with Dhvani Bhanushali and Ashim Gulati

Dhvani Bhanushali, the popular pop star, is making her acting debut with the film "Where It Begins, Where It Ends." She stars alongside Ashim Gulati, who has previously acted in "Ji Karda," "Murder Mubarak," and the web series "Taj." Produced by Lakshman Utekar, this film showcases their characters, the transition from singing to acting, and their experiences. Here’s what Dhvani and Ashim had to say in this exclusive interview with Mayapuri.

• How do the characters you portray in the film connect with your real-life personalities?

Dhvani: As shown in the trailer, my character Meera runs away from home because her father never asked her about the marriage. If something like that happened to me in real life, I’d probably do the same! I’m at an age where I can express my opinions, so I would react like Meera does in the film.
Ashim: I play the character Krish, who is playful and has a childlike spirit. My character believes in living life to the fullest and spreading love and enjoyment wherever he goes. If Lord Krishna were in today’s world, he’d probably be just like my character—playful yet grounded in his beliefs. I relate to that in real life.

• As a singer venturing into acting, did you always want to do this? How has your journey been from wanting to act to actually doing it?

Dhvani: My journey isn’t over yet; it’s just beginning! I’m thrilled to have started this. Singing and acting are very different for me. This is my first film, distinct from my music videos. I truly enjoyed understanding this journey and discovering Meera. I surrendered completely to director Saurabh during this process. I want to mention that before this film, I did theater for about two months with the artists of SDM College, in a group called 'Nagmandalam.' Their way of performing made me fall in love with acting.

• Comedy can be tough due to timing. How did you manage your comic timing?

Ashim: I’ve wanted to do comedy for a long time, but I hadn’t gotten the right role until now. I was excited to finally get this opportunity. I’ve always wanted to do a film in the comedy genre, and when I read this character, I felt it had all the elements that would allow me to have fun. If I’m not enjoying what I’m doing, I can’t be happy. But once I understood my character, I knew I would enjoy bringing it to life. I hope that when people see it, they find joy too.

• Ashim, you’re from Delhi, and Dhvani, you’re from Mumbai. What are your favorite foods?

Dhvani: My favorite food is vada pav. Once, during a shoot, I even made vada pav for Ashim!
Ashim: I love home-cooked meals. Dal-chawal, kadhi-chawal, rajma-chawal, and chole-bhature are my favorites. My grandmother makes amazing aloo-gobhi parathas, served with fresh white butter and homemade mango pickle. There’s no competition for home-cooked food; I could eat it every day.

• Your on-screen chemistry is impressive. What about your off-screen chemistry?

Ashim: (laughs) We can’t even look at each other!
Dhvani: We get along really well!

• Share any memorable experiences you have with Mayapuri magazine.

Ashim: In my childhood, I used to see Madhuri Dixit’s photos in Mayapuri magazine, and I would be so happy just looking at them. I really admire Madhuri ma’am.
Dhvani: Mayapuri is such an iconic magazine. I’ve seen so many actor-actress photos in it. Being featured in that magazine was a big deal in the '90s.
The film releases tomorrow in theaters. Having already won hearts with her hit songs, Dhvani is now ready to win audiences over with her acting.

By Priyanka Yadav

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