Jaya Ahsan discusses her upcoming film OCD?, child abuse awareness, her collaboration with director Soukarya Ghosal, and why she believes society must speak more openly about pedophilia.
Bangladeshi actor Jaya Ahsan is preparing for the release of her upcoming film OCD?, a project that she describes as significantly different from the subjects usually explored in Bengali cinema. In a recent interview, the actor spoke candidly about the film’s themes, her character, child abuse awareness and the importance of confronting uncomfortable social issues.
Jaya believes OCD? has the potential to start conversations around subjects that are often avoided. While the film incorporates psychological and thriller elements, she says its larger purpose is to draw attention to child abuse and pedophilia.
Jaya Ahsan Wants ‘OCD?’ to Start a Conversation
According to Jaya, Bengali cinema has rarely addressed these subjects directly, which was one of the reasons she was attracted to the project.
The actor said she hopes audiences will respond positively because the film approaches serious issues through a narrative rather than simply presenting them as social commentary.
For Jaya, the subject of child sexual abuse deserves greater public discussion. She feels that conversations around movements such as #MeToo have become more visible, while abuse involving children is still not discussed with the same openness.
The actor wants OCD? to contribute to that conversation.
‘Trying to Find Sexual Pleasure Through Children Is a Mental Disorder’
During the interview, Jaya spoke strongly about pedophilia and argued that society needs to be more vocal in opposing sexual abuse of children.
She described the attraction of children for sexual gratification as a serious psychological disorder and stressed the need for greater awareness.
The film reportedly approaches the issue alongside questions surrounding obsessive-compulsive behaviour, trauma and relationships. Jaya believes combining these elements gives the story an unusual dramatic structure.
Importantly, discussions of child sexual abuse should not be reduced to a question of diagnosis alone. Sexual abuse of children is a serious crime and safeguarding issue, and responsibility for protecting children rests with , families, institutions and society.
Jaya Ahsan on Childhood Trauma
Jaya also spoke about the lasting influence of childhood experiences on an individual’s psychological development.
According to the actor, childhood plays a fundamental role in shaping a person’s emotional and mental framework. Positive memories can provide a strong foundation, while abuse, neglect or unresolved trauma can leave deep psychological scars.
She also pointed out that child abuse is not always committed by strangers. In many cases, children can be harmed by people they already know and trust.
That reality, she suggested, makes awareness and open communication particularly important.
Jaya noted that families sometimes choose silence, treating abuse as a private family matter rather than addressing it openly. She believes this tendency can prevent children from receiving the support and protection they need.
The Actor Says She Has Seen Harassment Affect People Close to Her
Asked whether she had experienced a childhood incident that personally shaped her, Jaya clarified that she had not experienced such abuse herself.
However, she said she had witnessed situations involving people close to her.
Her comments reflect a broader concern about the way inappropriate behaviour towards children can be overlooked or normalised within society. She stressed that childhood experiences can have consequences that continue well into hood.
Working With Soukarya Ghosal Again
OCD? marks another collaboration between Jaya Ahsan and filmmaker Soukarya Ghosal.
The actor has previously worked with the director on Bhoot Pari, where she played a character unlike those audiences had generally associated with her.
Jaya described Soukarya as one of her favourite directors and said she enjoys working with him because he consistently approaches her with unconventional material.
She believes their creative collaboration works particularly well because the director challenges her as an actor.
According to Jaya, OCD? gives her another opportunity to explore a layered character and experiment with different shades of performance.
‘I Have Filmy OCD’
Despite the serious subject of the film, Jaya also revealed a lighter side of her personality during the conversation.
Asked whether she personally has obsessive-compulsive disorder, the actor jokingly said that she does not have an obsession with cleanliness but does have what she calls “filmy OCD.”
She explained that she tends to repeat and refine her performances, trying to make each take better.
Her director, she recalled humorously, sometimes has to tell her not to repeat a performance too many times because excessive experimentation could affect the final result.
A Strong Ensemble Cast
OCD? features a large ensemble, including Kaushik Sen, Shreya Bhattacharya, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Kaninika Banerjee, Anasuya Majumdar and child actor Arshiya, among others.
Jaya explained that the story is presented through the perspective of the child character, which was one of the aspects that particularly attracted her to the project.
She said the film’s subject matter itself was a major reason for accepting the role. The actor wanted to have a project in her filmography that explored an issue Bengali cinema had not addressed in this manner before.
Jaya Ahsan on Her Bengali Film Projects
Despite her growing commitments, Jaya rejected the suggestion that she has reduced her work in Bengali cinema.
She said discussions about future projects are continuing, although she prefers not to announce films until the plans are sufficiently concrete.
Her upcoming slate includes OCD?, while she also remains associated with other Bengali film projects.
Can Cinema Bring India and Bangladesh Closer?
The conversation also moved beyond cinema to the strained relationship between India and Bangladesh.
Jaya argued that artists have a role that goes beyond political divisions. She said she sees herself primarily as a Bengali artist whose audience extends beyond the borders of either Bangladesh or West Bengal.
Her ambition, she explained, is to reach Bengali-speaking audiences wherever they live, including Bengalis residing in countries such as the UAE and Pakistan.
For Jaya, cinema can create a cultural connection that political circumstances cannot easily erase.
Jaya Ahsan Calls Social Media a ‘Dustbin’
Addressing the hostility sometimes seen online between people from India and Bangladesh, Jaya said she believes social media can exaggerate divisions.
She described much of the online hostility as the work of a relatively small group of people who repeatedly engage in verbal conflicts.
According to Jaya, disagreements between the two sides can emerge around subjects ranging from films to cricket, but she does not believe such online exchanges represent the feelings of everyone.
She said the affection she continues to receive from audiences in India gives her a different picture from the one sometimes presented on social media.
Jaya therefore urged people not to mistake the loudest online voices for the majority.
‘We Want to Work for Bengalis All Over the World’
For Jaya Ahsan, cinema remains a bridge between Bengali-speaking communities across geographical and political boundaries.
She believes artists can connect with audiences through their work without being defined by political divisions.
With OCD?, she is now taking on a particularly challenging subject. Beyond its thriller and psychological dimensions, the film aims to encourage conversations about child safety, trauma and abuse.
