Haunted 3D: Echoes Of The Past actor Chetna Pande has fought for every opportunity she has ever had. From reality shows that broke her emotionally to personal tragedies that tested her limits, her journey is one of relentless persistence.
Her first reality show, Ace of Space, became a turning point. She said, “Before that, people only knew me through the characters I had played. For example, in Dilwale, people remembered me as Jenny. But Ace of Space was the first time people got to know the real Chetna, my actual personality.”
The connection audiences built with her during that show stayed. She said, “Reality shows break you emotionally because dealing with so many situations and challenges is not easy. Every emotion is shown very honestly. Whether you are crying, fighting or laughing, people connect directly with who you really are.”
“After I came out of Ace of Space, my social media journey truly began because so many people had connected with me. That show gave me a completely new identity,” she added.
Khatron Ke Khiladi tested her physically. She said, “I used to wake up every morning and think, ‘Will I come back alive today or not? What am I going to have to do today?’ Whenever I had to do water stunts, it felt like you have no life left and you just keep fighting till the end.”
She did the show as a tribute to her father, who had always pushed her to be strong. She said, “I did that show for my father because he has made me strong since childhood. He used to make me work out, so doing that show was my dedication to him.”
She was eliminated after just one round, something that still stings. She said, “I was very disappointed because I didn’t get another chance. That’s how the show is. I feel like my journey there remained incomplete. Some journeys remain incomplete, and I feel that was one of them. I didn’t get the opportunity to show my full potential. But that’s okay. Some incomplete journeys are still beautiful.”
Working with Mimoh Chakraborty in Haunted 3D brought its own warmth to the experience. She said, “From the very first day, Mimoh was extremely sweet and grounded. He never behaved like someone who came from a film family or acted superior in any way. Whenever we worked together, he always encouraged me and made me feel confident.”
Mithun Chakraborty was also present on set, which naturally made Chetna nervous. She said, “Mimoh kept telling me not to worry and that everything would be fine. After we finished the scene, everyone applauded us. Later Mimoh told me that his father rarely praises anyone, so if he appreciated my performance, it genuinely meant I had done well.”
Before the premiere, after watching the film with his parents, Mimoh called Chetna. She said, “He said, ‘You’ve absolutely killed it. Your performance is beautiful.’ That’s the kind of person he is. He praises others more than himself.”
The compliment that meant the most came from Vikram himself. She said, “Before the film released, Vikram sir called me and said, ‘You have performed so well. Once you watch the film, you’ll understand what you’ve done. Nobody else could have played Sunheri except you. You are the only Sunheri.’ That was the most special compliment I received.”
When she finally saw the film, even she was surprised. She said, “When I finally watched the film, even I wondered how I had managed to perform like that. I told sir that it was all because of his guidance.”
Audiences connected with the story too. She said, “One lady told me that the biggest takeaway from the film was that you have to face the consequences of your actions. Whatever you do in life comes back to you. If you do good for someone, good returns to you. If you do wrong, that also comes back.”
