It has been a viral story that’s put a smile on many a fan’s face. Mahima says there were those who were convinced they had seen Arina make her mark after they laid eyes on the Off Campus star. The similarity was so strong it set off a deluge of messages and memes, even harkening back to the days of the Pardes star. But you won’t find any irritation from Mahima; she’s just in on the joke.
How a lookalike made for some debut talk
It all started to make some noise when Mika Abdalla, of Allie Hayes in Prime Video’s Off Campus, was all over Indian feeds. People right away saw a doppelgänger in Arina Chaudhry, and in a young Mahima, too. Mahima will tell you the word got out in a hurry. She was on the phone with folks inquiring as to whether Arina had in fact made her entrance, and her DMs were a sea of video clips. The actor just put it to rights with a chuckle. You could say it went down like this: – A steady stream of clips from well-wishers – A few on the line to ask if Ariana was in the business now – Her way of saying no, it’s the Off Campus show making waves
Some are seeing a bit of old-time Mahima
Then there is the element of nostalgia. For some, Mika is not only an Arina stand-in but also a throwback to the 1997 film that put Mahima on the map. “Wait what! Have I seen her in DHADKAN?” one person quipped. Another was open about it: “I was on Instagram, no sound, and I put two and two together and thought it was Mahima. I was trying to place the scene from Pardes.” And of course, someone had to wonder if the actress was related to the Chaudhrys.
Mahima on the whole twinning thing
She is relishing it. “Yeah I know. I love her, she’s fantastic,” she says, with a nod to the constant pinging of her phone. “How can you have that kind of a resemblance across two different continents?”
“It’s nice to be told you and this very cute person are one in the same. I mean, you might as well make the most of it. I’m chuffed by it. If you tell me I or Ariana are in her image, I am fine with that.”
And where does that leave Arina?
Don’t go looking for a press release just yet. “Arina is not debuting,” is how Mahima puts it. “She has put in her 12th and is using a year to get her head around things.”
The 2007-born has a following on social media already, and Mahima wouldn’t mind if that translates to a screen presence. “There is nothing like it, entertaining people. I want her in the game, for sure. Any part of the industry would do me proud.”
Off Campus and the attention it brings
Much of the eye on Mika is thanks to her turn as Allie Hayes in Off Campus, where she has a way of disarming you. It has made for some talking points well past the usual circles, with Gen Z and the Bollywood set alike taking note.
We’re not done with it either. Word is the second season will put her and co-star Stephen Kalyn front and centre. You can count on the comparisons to keep up with the on-screen romance.
All in all, the internet has put on a show. Mahima is pleased, Arina is in the mix without lifting a finger, and Mika is reaping the rewards. When it comes to a viral moment, you don’t get much better than this.
