Shivangi Verma: Yeh Hai Sanak is suspense wrapped inside suspense wrapped again in another suspense
Actress Shivangi Verma is set to surprise audiences in her new web series Yeh Hai Sanak, a psychological thriller that promises to be as unpredictable as it is gripping opposite actor Sharad Malhotra.
Talking about what drew her to the story, Shivangi shared, “The moment I heard the concept, I knew this wasn’t just another story…it was a psychological maze. Yeh Hai Sanak had the kind of layers that even while reading I couldn’t predict what’s coming next. That’s the thrill that made me say yes.”
The title itself hints at intrigue, and for Shivangi, it captures the true essence of the show. “For me…it’s suspense wrapped inside suspense wrapped again in another suspense. Just when you think you’ve figured it out…the show flips the game. It’s madness but of the clever kind,” she said.
For an actor known largely for television, the shift to OTT has been refreshing. “Television often gives you black or white shades but here I live in the greys. My character isn’t predictable, you’ll never know if I’m two steps ahead or ten. That unpredictability is my biggest shift from TV,” she explained.
Shivangi also described her character in the series as one who thrives on the mind games. “It’s the mind…plays with situations and people so smoothly that till the very last moment nobody can tell what the next move is,” she revealed. Preparing for the role, she admitted, was more mental than physical. “I had to train myself to think five steps ahead while delivering lines that feel natural. The art was in keeping the suspense alive even in silence,” she said.
Balancing excitement with challenge was key to her performance. “The excitement was in the unpredictability…every script reading felt like a puzzle. The challenge was to never reveal too much…to keep the audience constantly guessing. To me, that balance is the true test of an actor,” she added.
Working with the team was another highlight for her. “The team was brilliant because they trusted the madness of the script. My most memorable moments were when even the crew who knew the script would get shocked watching us perform! That’s when you know the show is working. Working with Sharad was absolutely fun. I remember when we did the scenes where we have to hit people and we are getting punched at the same time so being in the character and laughing from inside was so much fun and also with Ankit when the weather was crazy, and still, we need to perform as if it was not raining (laughs). These moments will be cherished. I’ll always remember,” she recalled.
Some moments also pushed her beyond her comfort zone. “Yes, there was a scene where I had to mask about six emotions in one expression because my character couldn’t let anyone see what he was really feeling. It taught me that acting isn’t always about showing, it’s also about hiding,” she shared.
For Shivangi, OTT has transformed the craft itself. “Definitely. OTT gives us the liberty to explore complexity. You don’t need to spoon feed the audience…they love decoding,” she pointed out.
As for what will hook audiences to Yeh Hai Sanak, she said, “The unpredictability and the suspense…Viewers love to play detective but here just when they think they’ve solved the riddle the story flips again. That’s the hook, it’s suspense within suspense within suspense all the till the end.”
