Shivangi Verma calls her new series Yeh Hai Sanak a psychological maze of twists and turns

Mumbai: Actress Shivangi Verma is ready to surprise audiences with her upcoming web series Yeh Hai Sanak — a psychological thriller that promises to be as gripping as it is unpredictable, opposite actor Sharad Malhotra. Sharing what drew her to the project, Shivangi said, “The moment I heard the concept, I knew this wasn’t just another story — it was a psychological maze. Yeh Hai Sanak had so many layers that even while reading it, I couldn’t predict what would happen next. That unpredictability was the thrill that made me say yes.” For Shivangi, the show’s title perfectly captures its tone and texture. “For me, it’s suspense wrapped inside suspense, wrapped again in another suspense.

Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story flips completely. It’s madness — but of the clever kind,” she smiled. Known for her television work, Shivangi finds the OTT experience both liberating and creatively stimulating. “Television often gives you black-and-white characters, but here, I live in the greys. My character is unpredictable — you’ll never know if she’s two steps ahead or ten. That unpredictability is my biggest shift from TV,” she explained.Describing her role, she added, “She thrives on mind games — playing situations and people so seamlessly that till the very last moment, nobody can tell what her next move will be.” Preparation for the role, Shivangi shared, was more mental than physical. “I had to train myself to think five steps ahead while delivering lines that sounded effortless. The real challenge was keeping the suspense alive even in silence,” she revealed.

Balancing excitement with challenge was key for her performance. “Each script reading felt like solving a puzzle. The challenge was never to give away too much — to keep the audience guessing constantly. For me, that’s the true test of an actor,” she said.

Working with the team was another highlight for Shivangi. “The team was fantastic because they trusted the madness of the script. Some of my favourite moments were when even the crew — who already knew the story — got shocked while watching us perform! That’s when you know the show is working,” she said with a laugh. “Working with Sharad was a lot of fun. We had these intense action scenes where we were hitting and getting hit — trying to stay serious while laughing inside was hilarious! And shooting with Ankit in crazy weather conditions, pretending it wasn’t raining, was another unforgettable memory.” Some scenes, however, pushed her beyond her comfort zone. “There was one scene where I had to mask about six emotions in a single expression because my character couldn’t reveal what she was truly feeling. That taught me acting isn’t always about showing — sometimes it’s about hiding,” she shared. Talking about how OTT has changed storytelling, she said, “OTT gives us the liberty to explore complexity. You don’t have to spoon-feed the audience anymore — they love decoding.” As for what will keep viewers hooked to Yeh Hai Sanak, Shivangi summed it up perfectly: “It’s the unpredictability. Just when you think you’ve solved the riddle, the story flips again. It’s suspense within suspense within suspense — right till the end.”