Ridhima Ghosh opens up on playing Debika in Kuheli and experiencing the thrills of motherhood
Ridhima Ghosh finds parts of herself in the latest character she plays on Hoichoi series, Kuheli. Debika Dutta is a mother figure to her two sisters. However, there is more to her than she lets on and the mystery deepens just like the fog, in this quaint town.
Directed by Aditi Roy, Kuheli is set to release on the OTT platform on May 15, 2026.
What makes Kuheli stand out and what drew you to it?
So Kuheli is a comic thriller. But this genre has not been explored that well. Kuheli is not your usual thriller. So when you start watching it, you realise, it is not something where you have to rack your brains. It is very gripping but also very human. The characters, each equally important, stay with you. Every character is very real and relatable and they are very layered and grey. That is what drew me. When I heard the script, I was hooked. Moreover, our director and writer had such a clear vision, that as actors, we never had any confusion. Everyone was so involved that the experience became very interesting. Aditi [Roy] Di, Hoichoi, everything made me want to take this project up.
Comedy and thriller are quite different genres. How did you deal with that?
Personally, I think, if you think too much about your delivery, it does not help. We enjoy comedy which is situational and comedy fails if it forces you to laugh. In real life, even grim situations can make you laugh. Since it is a very human story, we have kept the natural blend of humour and seriousness. The comedy in Kuheli is not forced, it is situational. The main story revolves around a murder in the family. While the characters are not laughing, the audience will. There’s a very thin line that has to be dealt with and I am glad Aditi Di was at the helm because she is one of the best directors we have here. Since she is a woman, she's equipped to handle human emotions well.
So you are playing one of the three sisters? Tell us about your character and what you did to prepare for it?
I am playing the eldest sister, Debika Dutta. Professionally, she is an English teacher but personally, she is the first born, just like me in real life. So, there is an inherent sense of responsibility. Debika is extremely protective about her two younger sisters. She is also a very headstrong, strong-willed woman, who's always standing up for the right thing. There is also a very emotional side to her, given she is married to the District Magistrate of Kuheli. Her husband is always busy so she also feels lonely. Despite being manipulative, she is selfless.
As far as preparing for the character is concerned, the script etched out Debika so well that I just went with it. And I could relate to her on a personal level, since she is the elder sister and has lost her parents. So she is also a parent to her sisters.
You shot a part of the series in Sikkim so tell us how important is the setting?
Yes, we shot in the mountains in February and it was extremely cold, making it difficult to shoot. It was particularly difficult for me because it was the first time I returned to full-fledged work since I became a mother. So going for outdoor shooting leaving my 2-year-old behind was very difficult for me. But, what was very nice was that I developed a very organic bond with Angana and Susmita, who are playing my sisters. We now have a WhatsApp group where we stay connected. I think that offscreen chemistry we developed has reflected beautifully onscreen.
The setting of the mountains is very important. The story is set in this small hill station called Kuheli. The advantage was that we started shooting there and we could easily get into our characters and understand their backstories. We shot the rest of it in Kolkata.
What inspiration from real life did you take to inform the character that you are playing on screen?
Like I mentioned, I am a lot like Debika. I am very straightforward and set in my ways. So I didn’t have to do a lot of research or workshop to get into the character. There were some parts, which I cannot speak about in detail now, that I had to work on. But to play something you are not and getting into the psychology of a new person, is the fun part of being an actor.
What kind of content would you like to see more on OTT as an audience?
I think rom-coms. Romance, rom-com, relationships are all lost. I don't know why people want to watch complicated things, our life is complicated enough.
Where are all the feel-good things that make you want to believe in love, fall in love again and, you know, just be happy and smile. I mean, I would love to do a rom-com!
Can you elaborate on the challenges of being a working mother? How do you deal with the judgment?
It is very difficult. I actually got back to work when my son was 7 months old and I was shooting for this reality show with very demanding hours. So I was a breastfeeding mother who was away from the house for 18, 19 hours. My baby is sleeping whenever I leave or come back home. That is difficult but I have to keep my word. However, the channel and the production were so supportive. They provided me with a fridge in my makeup room and allowed me to pump in between shoots. So, I have a lot of respect for that.
After that, I took a break because my priorities are very straight. I want to be present as a mother as my son grows up. That's my personal choice. But, we also have to work and I want to invest my time doing a project which I genuinely love and believe in. I don't mind doing one project a year if it's a good project. And when I wanted to get back to work, I had to hear things like, “Oh, she's just busy with the baby. So she doesn't want to get back to work” or “Oh, are you working again?” I never left. And even asking new mothers to lose weight feels like excuses. If the character fits, these should not be problems unless it requires a specific look. People have to respect actors’ choices.