Neerja's character has made me more empathetic towards real-life circumstances," says Aastha Sharma

Life isn’t fair and facing harsh realities is the toughest part. This realization hits Neerja (Aastha Sharma) hard in ‘Neerja... Ek Nayi Pehchaan’, a compelling social drama that has captivated the attention of viewers since its launch. So far in the story, Protima (Sneha Wagh) has done everything possible to give her daughter Neerja the best upbringing she could afford in the ill-famed Sonagachi. Neerja’s dream of a better life outside Sonagachi shatters when she learns that her mother is a sex worker and until now, she propped a façade of being a nurse in a hospital. She is devastated after finding out that her mother created a make-believe world for her. It’s painful and heart-breaking for her to accept the reality. After coming to terms with this reality, will she fight for her mother and stand with her? 

Talking about the emotional impact of this revelation, Aastha Sharma says, “As an actor, portraying Neerja's has been the most rewarding experience and emotionally challenging experience for me. I don’t know what I would have done if I was in her place. The ground beneath her feet is crumbling now that she learns the truth about how her mother earned a livelihood. Even if she did it all for Neerja’s sake that doesn’t make the betrayal any less haunting and devastating. Depicting these different stages of emotional turmoil has helped me grow as an actor. I’m more empathetic now. I thank the viewers for showering so much love on Neerja and the show.”

In the recent storyline, viewers are currently witnessing the celebration of Ganesh Utsav within the Bagchi family. This is the pivotal moment when the show's antagonist, Didun (Kamya Punjabi), discovers that Abeer has regained his lost memory. Consequently, Didun makes the fateful decision to return Neerja to Sonagachi and compel her to work there. At this crucial juncture, Neerja learns the shocking truth that her mother, Protima, has been hiding her life as a sex worker all along.