Ever since Vedant Malik aka Shrenik Arora made his first appearance – the projections of him holding a sign reading ‘Don’t Come to the Reunion’ to the first poster, the press conference and the series – the young child actor has impressed media and netizens alike! Prime Video and Emmay Entertainment recently launched the first Hindi horror series Adhura, in which Shrenik plays a troubled 10-year old in a boarding school. His character barely has friends, and is seldom seen talking to his batch mates. Shrenik finds solace in his counsellor, Supriya Ma’am (Rasika Dugal), who is always around to protect him; and he also has an unexplained bond with Adhiraj Jaisingh (Ishwak Singh), a student from the batch of 2007, whom he’s never met before. The series unfolds through two timelines, in 2022 and 2007, as secrets and chilling events plague the students and staff of a prestigious boarding school.
While the series features an interesting ensemble cast of some of the talented actors, it is the child actor Shrenik who has truly shone the brightest. Everyone who watched the series can’t stop gushing about this young actor’s impressive performance of an innocent boy-turned-into-a menacing kid.
Speaking about casting for the character Vedant, writer-director Ananya Banerjee said, “Shrenik was locked out of a total of 200 kids during the casting process, and it was a blessing in disguise. He is a lovely kid who can act, embodying the perfect combination of cuteness and creepiness. His physical attributes suited the horror genre perfectly, where innocence can turn into something eerie. From his eyes to his demeanor and body language, Shrenik possessed a unique presence. Moreover, he is an instinctive and intelligent child who diligently followed instructions and took note of every detail.”
Praising the young talent, director Gauravv Chawla said, “Shrenik aka Vedant, as a central protagonist, was phenomenal. Despite his young age, Shrenik displayed a depth and maturity in his acting that surpassed expectations. His ability to embody the complexities of a possessed child with conviction and authenticity is a testament to his remarkable talent. The chemistry between Ishwak, Rasika and Shrenik, was amazing, adding an extra layer of intensity and emotion to the series. Adhura is a story of a kid who was left in between, and Shrenik’s portrayal perfectly captured the enigmatic nature of this character. His performance has received great reviews, and audiences have been stunned by his exceptional acting skills.”
Adhura is produced by Emmay Entertainment (Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani & Nikkhil Advani) and directed by Gauravv K Chawla and Ananya Banerjee. The series features Rasika Dugal, Ishwak Singh, Shrenik Arora, Poojan Chhabra, Rijul Ray, Zoa Morani, Sahil Salathia, Aru Krishansh Verma, Rahul Dev, Jamini Pathak and more. Prime members across 240+ countries and territories worldwide can now stream Adhura on Prime Video.
