Ayesha Khan, a name that’s swiftly climbing the ladder of fame, has managed to capture hearts with her presence both on screen and off. Known for her striking performances and undeniable charm, Ayesha began her acting career in South Indian cinema. However, it was her participation in the widely talked-about reality show Bigg Boss 17 that turned her into a household name.
In 2024, Ayesha’s career appeared to be gearing up for a significant leap when news surfaced about her joining a Telugu film project alongside popular star Dulquer Salmaan. The film, Lucky Baskhar, helmed by director Venky Atluri, was one of the most anticipated projects of the year. The film eventually released on October 31, 2024, and became a box-office hit, garnering widespread applause. However, Ayesha was noticeably missing from the cast when the film arrived in theatres.
For months, fans speculated about her absence. Finally, Ayesha opened up about the reasons behind her missed opportunity. She revealed that though everything was initially in place for her to be part of Lucky Baskhar, the scheduling didn’t align. Sharing her side, she said, “That film has already been released, and the dates did not match, so it never happened.” It was a simple case of clashing schedules that led her to step away from what could have been a significant project in her career.
Interestingly, Ayesha had shown genuine excitement about the film earlier in 2024. Her fans had also expressed enthusiasm over her working with Dulquer Salmaan, imagining it as a promising collaboration. Unfortunately, destiny had different plans.
While one door closed, another quickly opened. Ayesha soon landed the lead role in Dil Ko Rafuu Kar Lei, a romantic drama series produced by Sargun Mehta and Ravi Dubey. In the show, she stars opposite television favourite Karan V Grover. The series took a slightly unconventional route in its format, blending digital streaming with episodic storytelling. It wasn’t the typical television drama, and that uniqueness initially made Ayesha uncertain about how it might be received.
Reflecting on the show’s reception, she expressed her gratitude and surprise. Speaking about its performance, Ayesha said, “The first episode has crossed 9 million views. Honestly speaking, I had trust in the content that we were shooting and the inputs we were putting in.” She went on to explain that predicting audience reactions in today’s digital world is nearly impossible. However, she was hopeful that if the show reached the right viewers, it would strike a chord. “Nowadays, you don’t know what will work and what will not work. I wanted this to reach the right audience because this is a little different format. It was not exactly TV, so my whole assumption was that if this reaches the right audience, then it will work. Touchwood, it reached the right audience.”
Her confidence in the project paid off. Dil Ko Rafuu Kar Lei swiftly gained popularity, with episodes consistently attracting impressive viewership numbers. The fresh pairing of Ayesha and Karan V Grover also won appreciation, their on-screen chemistry adding to the show’s charm.
