Arista Mehta has been in front of the camera since childhood, but her recent performance as Noori Syed in Baramulla has pushed her into a new creative space. In this exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, she reflected on her early beginnings, the challenges of shooting in Kashmir, and the kind of roles she hopes to take on next.Arista began working at a young age, but it wasn’t until she turned 14 that acting truly felt like a calling. She recalled that even though she often missed school for shoots, she never felt any sense of missing out. That was the moment she understood she wanted to continue acting throughout her life.Playing Noori Syed was a turning point for Arista. She was drawn to the character’s emotional depth—shaped by trauma, her father’s job, and the complex realities of growing up in Kashmir. Once she read the full script, she felt completely committed to the part. To prepare, she worked closely with a dialect coach to ensure her speech reflected someone raised in Kashmir. Since Noori carries significant PTSD, Arista also focused on the character’s physicality—how she spoke, stood, and moved—to portray her low confidence and inner turmoil with authenticity.
