At the age of 54, when most people are planning their retirement, Abha Sharma is realizing her dreams. Portraying the character of Ammaji in the Amazon Prime series “Panchayat-3,” Abha Sharma has proven that with determination, no obstacle can prevent someone from achieving their dreams.
At the age of 35, Abha lost all her teeth due to an illness and hadn’t acted until she was 54. However, at 74, she is not only playing a role in one of the country’s most popular web series but has also become a beloved figure among viewers.
Abha shares, “I’ve wanted to be an actor since childhood. However, my mother disapproved of the film industry. She didn’t like the profession, and I didn’t want to go against her wishes. Despite my family being well-educated, they were somewhat conservative. After my mother’s death, I started acting, and this time, I had the support of my siblings.”
Following her father’s death, the responsibility of taking care of her ailing mother fell on Abha, which is why she never married. Always aspiring to be an artist, Abha earned a diploma from JJ School of Arts and became a teacher in 1979.
The struggle in Abha’s life didn’t end there. At just 35, she lost all her teeth due to a gum infection, yet she continued working. Then, at 45, an illness caused tremors in her hands and feet. Despite the ongoing challenges, Abha never let despair take over. Importantly, she never forgot her dream of becoming an actress. In 1991, she decided to quit her teaching job.
In 2008, she finally began doing theater in Lucknow. In 2009, she auditioned for a Bank of Baroda advertisement, her first audition, and succeeded, which led to an opportunity to shoot an ad in Mumbai.
Following this, Abha received several acting offers, including a role in the film “Ishaqzaade.” Her theater colleague, Anurag Shukla Shiva, convinced her to record an audition tape for “Panchayat” after COVID-19, which landed her the role of Ammaji. She shares that she didn’t understand what a web series was at the time but became very excited about the series once she arrived on set.
Starting her acting career at 54, Abha says, “If you are passionate about something, don’t give up on trying and hoping.
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