Growing up, Anushka Sen always wanted to be “the first” at something. “I always wanted to be a pioneer,” she says. “Even my name means the first ray of the sun, the first leaf of a tree.” At 23, nearly 17 years after making her acting debut, Sen has become the first Indian actor to headline a Korean film.
In Jeju Olle, a Korean romance musical, Sen plays Alisha, an Indian singer who arrives on Jeju Island grieving the loss of her sister and gradually finds healing through music and an unexpected connection with singer-songwriter Sunwoo, played by Kang Hyung-seok (of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and Love in Contract fame). The film is directed by Jin Kwang-kyo and is scheduled for release across South Korea, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East towards the year-end.
For Sen, however, the milestone goes beyond the headline. “A few years ago, I said I wanted to become a bridge between Korea and India, and this really solidifies that.” In 2023, she was also appointed Honorary Ambassador for Korean Tourism.
Finding Alisha
Playing Alisha demanded more than simply stepping into a new industry. Sen describes the character as layered and emotionally complex. “She’s happy to be in Jeju, but grieving. Like all of us, she’s trying to embrace new joys while carrying something heavy in the back of her mind.”
Besides acting, Sen had to sing in English and Korean, ensuring not just the pronunciation but also the emotion behind every line felt authentic. She was also required her to dance. “I prepared every single day for at least two months,” she says. “It wasn’t just about learning the words. I wanted to get the pronunciation, the feeling and the mood right.”
Choosing discomfort
Working in Korea came with its own set of challenges—from language barriers to living away from home—but the challenge was precisely what attracted her to the role. “As an artist, I always want to do characters that take me out of my comfort zone. It’s scary sometimes, but that’s how you grow. Alisha will always remain very close to my heart because she challenged me in every way,” adds Sen.
Stepping into the Korean industry also meant willingly becoming a beginner again, despite already being an established name in India. This has been a pattern throughout her career. She recalls entering Khatron Ke Khiladi at 18 despite being told she was too young, and consciously choosing vastly different roles—from the girl next door in Dil Dosti Dilemma to the freedom fighter in Jhansi Ki Rani.
“I’ve always wanted to experience new horizons,” she says. “Every opportunity, I try my best to do something different because that’s how I grow as an artist.”
As one of the few Indian actors working on a Korean production, Sen says she was acutely aware that she was representing more than herself. “There is a huge responsibility, especially when you’re representing India,” she says. “But instead of letting that pressure intimidate me, I wanted to make sure I gave more than my best because the bar is way higher.”
Fifteen years later
Sen began her career as a child actor in 2009 with Zee TV’s Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli. Born in Ranchi, she lives in Mumbai at present. After spending nearly two-thirds of her life in front of the camera, she says it still surprises her when she realises she has completed 15 years in the industry. “I feel like I’m just starting out,” she says. “This is just the beginning.”
Looking back, Sen remembers a little girl who knew nothing about cameras and learned filmmaking while balancing school with long days on set. She credits her parents for keeping her grounded and encouraging her ambitions, and rejects the idea that child actors miss out on childhood. “My childhood has been beautiful,” she says. “I’ve travelled so much, met so many different people and learned so much.”
Sen is also a digital creator with more than 38 million followers on Instagram. She made her music debut with the single ‘Chameleon’ in 2025. But she has never worried about being viewed as an influencer before being seen as an actor. “I’ve been acting for so long that people know me through my projects,” she says.
She points out that Dil Dosti Dilemma found audiences internationally, while Baalveer remains popular in countries such as Indonesia. “Even in Korea, people told me they had watched my work. They know I’m an actor first.”
Having begun her international journey with a romance musical, Sen has no intention of limiting herself to one industry or one kind of role. She hopes her next project will be completely different. “Maybe a thriller,” she says. “I want to keep experimenting, doing cross-country collaborations and exploring new genres.”
Success, she says, has changed with time. At 15, it meant being recognised in India. Today, it also means carrying India with her wherever she works. “The love has only grown,” she says. “Now I get to work in India and represent India at the same time. That growth is something I’m truly grateful for.”