Exclusive! U-Turn actress Alaya F reveals her career strategy

Watch U-Turn on OTTPlay.

Even though her debut film Jawaani Jaaneman, in which she shared screen space with Tabu and Saif Ali Khan, was well received, Alaya F didn't get to reap much reward from it since the world was battling the COVID-19 pandemic soon after the film's release. But Alaya is bouncing back, with multiple projects in the pipeline. In a recent conversation with OTTplay, she spoke about her career strategy and how she has learned to deal with tough times.

Alaya said, "Well, a major shift happened post-pandemic, and the film business has changed. When it comes to taking on a project, my strategy is based on what I am looking for next. For instance, I did a film like Freddy, which was a thriller. Then, I did a love story like Almost Pyaar... Now, I have the supernatural thriller U-Turn ready for release. So, after this, I will wait for some time to do another thriller. Basically, the idea is to explore different genres. But honestly, the way the viewing patterns have changed post-pandemic, there is no fixed parameter or formula for a hit film or a show anymore."

Alaya currently has three films in her kitty: Sri with Rajkummar Rao, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan with Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, and Ek Aur Ghazab Kahani with Arjun Kapoor.

Asked if going into lockdown soon after her debut film was released was the hardest time for her, Alaya said, "Yes, that was a tough time, because everything came to a standstill. I had a gap of two years and 11 months between my first and second films. I had no releases, and I was just waiting. Absolutely nothing was going on during that period. The films that I shot after the pandemic are releasing now one by one. So, yes, it was not easy (smiles), but now I have several projects in hand, so I am fine."

Directed by Arif Khan, U-Turn also stars Priyanshu Painyuli, Rajesh Sharma, and Manu Rishi Chadha. It will be available to stream on OTTplay and ZEE5 starting April 28.