But away from the camera, Saarra has a very different passion woodworking and interior design. For her, it’s a creative escape, a way to stay grounded while pouring her energy into making something beautiful with her own hands. “I can spend months working on a single piece of furniture,” she laughs, “because it’s my little sanctuary where I get to be just me.”
When Aadhira came along, Saarra knew she was stepping into uncharted territory. The story of Sumitra, her character, isn’t simple, it carries layers of silence, unspoken pain, and quiet resilience. “It was real and raw,” she says. “When I read about Sumitra, I saw fragments of women I know in her. She’s strong in ways people don’t always see, and I felt an instant pull towards her story.”
Preparing for the role wasn’t just about memorising lines. Saarra spent weeks allowing herself to step into Sumitra’s world. “This wasn’t a role where you could just show up and perform,” she explains. “I had to sit with her emotions, understand her silences, and sometimes cry off-camera just to let her pain settle inside me. Playing someone who feels so much but says so little, that was the hardest part.”
The experience took a toll, both emotionally and mentally. Saarra admits that she carried Sumitra with her even after the cameras stopped rolling. “She’s bold, wounded, and layered and letting her go wasn’t easy. But at some point, I had to remind myself that I’m still me. The goofy, light-hearted Saarra needed to come back.”
Compared to her previous roles, Sumitra has been her most demanding character yet. It required a level of vulnerability that she hadn’t explored before. “This role changed me,” she reflects softly. “It taught me that sometimes, the loudest emotions are carried in silence.”
For audiences who may find the series intense or triggering, Saarra hopes they approach Sumitra’s story with patience. “If her journey unsettles you, maybe it’s because it touches on something real. It’s okay to take your time with her, don’t rush to judge or understand her. Some wounds aren’t easy to look at, but acknowledging them is where healing begins.”
Through Aadhira, Saarra hopes viewers walk away with a deeper understanding of how layered human emotions can be. “I want people to see that silence doesn’t mean acceptance and that healing is messy, complicated, and deeply personal. If even one person feels less alone after watching Sumitra’s story, then I believe we’ve done something meaningful.”
As for her advice to actors stepping into emotionally heavy roles, Saarra says, “Don’t fake the emotion, let yourself feel it. But also know when to protect yourself and step away. You’re human first, actor second.”
With Aadhira, Saarra doesn’t just bring a character to life, she invites viewers into a space where pain, strength, and vulnerability coexist. It’s a role that has shaped her as an actor and as a person, leaving behind not just a performance, but a piece of her heart on screen.