After a seven-year break from the small screen, actress Puja Sharma is all set to make a comeback with popular daily soap Jhanak. Known for her previous roles in shows like Naagin, Jyoti, Dil Se Dil Tak, and Mere Angne Mein, Puja is now stepping into a bold, unconventional character - Kanka, a tribal woman with grey shades, rooted in a Naxalite backdrop.
Puja shared, "I've played positive leads before, but Kanka is raw, volatile, and emotionally layered. What made it even more special is how personal it felt. I grew up in Jharkhand, surrounded by tribal women who worked in our home - strong, grounded women whose spirit I've always admired. I didn't need to prepare for Kanka, I just had to feel her."
"Kanka doesn't play nice and I love that about her. It's the kind of role I was waiting for - not sugar-coated, not safe," Puja added.
Opening up about her long sabbatical, Puja said that the time away gave her clarity. "It made me sharper, more grounded. But yes, I missed the chaos of sets, the adrenaline of performance. I needed something bold to come back for and Jhanak gave me just that," she stated.
Puja also shared some behind-the-scenes pictures of herself from the sets of Jhanak.
Kanka, introduced in the show following a dramatic leap, stands out as a commanding figure in a fiercely protective tribal community. Her dynamic with the tribe's head, someone she has known since childhood, adds an emotional depth to the otherwise intense role.
Puja began her television journey with Tujh Sang Preet Lagai Sajna on Star Plus in 2008, and now, with her return to the same network, she calls it a "full-circle moment."
Beyond television, Puja has also been a familiar face in numerous ad campaigns for well-known brands.
