Anupamaa actress Adrija Roy on women-led TV stories gaining ground
Synopsis
Adrija Roy, who plays Rahi Kapadia in 'Anupamaa', says Indian television has made real progress on women-led storytelling — but is candid that the work isn't done. She has turned down roles she couldn't connect with and says every character must teach her something new. It's a rare, unfiltered look at how a working TV actress navigates creativity inside a commercially driven system.
Key Takeaways
Adrija Roy plays Rahi Kapadia in the daily soap 'Anupamaa' , starring Rupali Ganguly .
Roy says female characters on Indian TV are now being written with 'more layered and meaningful' depth than before.
She acknowledged the risk of being typecast after a successful role but said she actively seeks variety to 'surprise both myself and the audience.' The actress has turned down projects she could not connect with creatively, preferring to wait for roles that 'genuinely excite' her.
Roy noted that choosing roles requires weighing the full picture — team, story, and character — not just the part itself.
Adrija Roy, who plays Rahi Kapadia in the popular daily soap 'Anupamaa', has spoken candidly about the evolving representation of women on Indian television, saying female characters are now being written with far greater depth than before. In an interview, the actress called the audience's growing appetite for women-centric narratives a meaningful shift for the industry.
A Changing Landscape for Women on Screen
'Things have changed for the better,' Adrija Roy said. 'Women are getting more layered and meaningful roles now. There is still room for improvement, but the audience is accepting stories led by women, and that's a positive sign for the industry.'
The actress acknowledged that while the progress is visible, it is not yet complete — a sentiment that reflects a broader conversation happening across Indian entertainment about authentic female representation on primetime television.
On the Risk of Being Typecast
With a successful role comes the risk of being confined to a particular image, and Roy addressed this directly. 'When a role becomes popular, people naturally start seeing you in that space because they know you've done it well. I don't blame anyone for that. But as an actor, I would always like to surprise both myself and the audience. I don't want to keep doing the same kind of character again and again. Every role should teach me something different,' she said.
This candid admission underscores a tension many television actors navigate — balancing commercial viability with the creative desire to stretch beyond a breakout performance.
Navigating Role Choices in a Competitive Industry
Roy also reflected on the practical realities of choosing projects. 'Every actor dreams of having plenty of choices, but that's not always how this industry works. Sometimes a good production house offers you a role that may not be exactly what you imagined. In such situations, I think you have to look at the complete picture — the team, the story and what the character brings to the show. There is no right or wrong answer. Every actor has to make the decision that feels right at that moment,' she added.
Notably, the actress revealed she has turned down projects that did not resonate with her creatively. 'Yes, I have said no to a few projects. It wasn't because they were bad, but because I couldn't connect with the characters. If I don't believe in a role, it becomes difficult for me to do justice to it. I would rather wait for something that genuinely excites me,' Roy said.
About Her Current Role in Anupamaa
Adrija Roy is currently seen as Rahi Kapadia in 'Anupamaa', the long-running daily soap that stars Rupali Ganguly in the titular lead role. The show has consistently ranked among the most-watched Hindi GEC programmes and has itself been credited with championing a strong, women-centric narrative at its core.
As Indian television continues to evolve, Roy's perspective offers a window into how actors within the system are actively pushing for more diverse, meaningful storytelling — one role at a time.
Point of View
Suffering archetypes — and 'Anupamaa' itself was both a symptom of and a response to that pattern. The fact that an actress within that ecosystem is publicly articulating a desire to avoid typecasting and turn down roles she cannot believe in signals a quiet but real cultural shift. Whether the industry's production economics — which reward proven formulas — will accommodate that ambition is the harder question mainstream coverage tends to skip.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Adrija Roy and what show is she currently in?
Adrija Roy is a television actress currently seen as Rahi Kapadia in the popular Hindi daily soap 'Anupamaa', which stars Rupali Ganguly in the lead role. The show is one of the most-watched programmes on Hindi general entertainment channels.
What did Adrija Roy say about women-led stories on Indian TV?
Roy said that things have 'changed for the better' and that women are now getting 'more layered and meaningful roles.' She noted that while room for improvement remains, the audience's growing acceptance of women-centric narratives is a positive sign for the industry.
Has Adrija Roy turned down any roles?
Yes, Roy confirmed she has declined a few projects — not because they were poor productions, but because she could not connect with the characters. She said she would rather wait for a role that genuinely excites her than do justice poorly to one she does not believe in.
How does Adrija Roy approach the risk of being typecast?
Roy acknowledged that a popular role naturally leads audiences to associate an actor with a particular type. She said she does not blame anyone for that, but as an actor she wants to surprise herself and the audience by choosing varied roles where each character teaches her something new.
What is 'Anupamaa' about and why is it significant?
'Anupamaa' is a long-running Hindi daily soap centred on a woman reclaiming her identity and independence, starring Rupali Ganguly in the title role. It has consistently topped Hindi GEC ratings and is widely cited as an example of women-centric storytelling finding mainstream primetime success.
