Nimisha Sajayan is a highly acclaimed actress who primarily works in the Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi film industries. Known for her raw, powerful, and emotionally deep performances, she won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress in 2018 for her work in Oru Kuprasidha Payyan and Chola. With The Great Indian Kitchen (2021) she gained pan-Indian recognition for her powerful portrayal of a newlywed navigating patriarchal oppression.In her latest web series, Babita Singh Reporting, she plays a suspended police officer, who is investigating her childhood friend’s murder. She talks about her character and more.In Babita Singh Reporting your performance as the suspended cop leaves room for the character to be emotionally and physically vulnerable. What was your self-instruction while playing Babita?We see her go through so much. I wanted all those emotions to feel real, raw and authentic.The relatability level of all your characters is exceptional. Babita is no exception. Do you ever crave a larger-than-life character?I really enjoy playing characters that we can all relate to as human beings. We are flawed, but at the same time we are also beautiful and sensitive. As an actor, I would love to explore larger than life characters as well. But there’s something about characters who are raw, authentic and vulnerable that makes me feel more connected to them.Babita is repeatedly fat shamed by her husband and relatives and also exploited by her seniors. By all outward definitions, she is a loser and yet you made her a hero. How did you achieve this?As a woman, I can relate to a lot of what she is going through. She is constantly being fat shamed and exploited by her seniors at work. But at some point, she starts recognising these patterns and finds the courage to break out of them. That’s when she begins to evolve as a person. It’s not loud or conventionally heroic. Her heroism lies in finding her own voice and finally choosing to stand up for herself.Most of your films are in Malayalam and South Indian languages. What was it like shooting in Hindi?This is my second Hindi film, and it was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had on a film set. I really enjoyed the entire process of becoming Baby (Babita) and I’m so glad I got to experience this journey. The entire team was incredible and I got the opportunity to work with some amazing actors and technicians. It was also my first time in Madhya Pradesh and getting to explore the place through baby’s lens made the experience even more special.Which among your enormously accomplished performances do you consider to be gamechangers?For me, every film that I’ve been a part of has played an important role in my professional journey. I’ve learned something different on every set and from every experience. The Great Indian Kitchen was very special because it helped me reach a larger audience. Dabba Cartel and my character Mala were also accepted and loved by the audience.Do you find The Great Indian Kitchen a hard act to beat?I treat every film and every character differently. The Great Indian Kitchen is done, and I don’t really look back at it in that way. My focus is always on what’s coming next and the projects I’m currently working on or about to explore.What according to you is the trigger for an actor to connect with her characters?It’s different for every actor. For me, there is no particular trigger point. Every single day on set I’m exploring and discovering new things about my character. It’s an ongoing process for me — right from the first day until the very last day of the shoot.You largely shoulder scripts. Was it liberating to do an ensemble piece in Dabba Cartel?Dabba Cartel was a completely different experience for me. I was surrounded by some of the most talented actors and imagine being supported encouraged and surrounded by four amazing female actors. It was such a fun experience. Working with Jyotika and Shabana m’aam was truly special. They are brilliant actors, and just watching and sharing the space with them was a learning experience in itself.What’s next?I’m currently working on Tamil projects. There’s also a very interesting series that is getting ready to be released soon.Where do you see yourself five or 10 years from now?Five or 10 years from now…I hope I’ll still be doing films and continuing to be a part of good cinema.