‘We Hope Juhi Mui touch more hearts’
Loss and the search for understanding often happen in the quietest spaces. The new television series, Juhi Mui, centers on a young autistic woman trying to rebuild her world after her father passes away. Her path soon crosses with Inspector Sanyam Singh, played by Vijayendra Kumeria. Audiences have taken note of the quiet, subtle moments these two characters share on screen. Speaking with The Pioneer, Eisha Singh and Kumeria detailed their grounded approach to these roles.
Eisha Singh on Authentic Representation
Taking on a neurodivergent role carries immense responsibility, and Eisha Singh dove in headfirst. To prepare for Juhi Mui, she spent months researching and speaking directly with people on the autism spectrum. “Autism is a spectrum, and every individual’s experience is unique,” Singh shared, refusing to reduce her character to a simple clinical label. Instead, she approached the role focusing on humanity first. “She’s above all a young woman with sort of an innocent curiosity about the world,” Singh noted.
Addressing immediate comparisons to the Korean drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Singh firmly shut them down. While both leads possess sharp legal minds, the shared traits stop entirely right there. She deliberately rooted Juhi’s journey in the Indian context to educate a television audience that remains largely unfamiliar with the realities of autism.
Working alongside veterans like Sanjay Suri and Vijayendra Kumeria, Singh hopes the series will encourage viewers to replace judgment with genuine empathy. Reminding audiences that autism remains completely misunderstood as a disease by many, she summarized the show’s core message perfectly: “Juhi ko suljhane ki nahi, samajhne ki zaroorat hai”.
Vijayendra Kumeria on Empathy and Identity
Donning a police uniform for the first time, Vijayendra Kumeria called the opportunity a genuine dream come true. He spent months building his physique, growing a moustache, and studying the body language of real-life officers to ensure absolute authenticity. He deliberately avoided drawing inspiration from iconic cinematic cops like Singham or Simba. “He has his own identity and I am excited for people to see that,” Kumeria stated, noting he fought to give the character a distinct Haryanvi accent and a natural sense of humor.
The chance to wear the uniform came second to the script itself. Kumeria felt immense pride joining a project that approaches autism with deep sensitivity. Standing steadfastly by Juhi, Sanyam’s journey mirrors the learning curve of the audience. Highlighting his approach to the role, Kumeria explained, “He sees her as a person first”. Rather than projecting flawless understanding, Sanyam shows genuine human frustration. Kumeria embraced this raw reality, admitting his character “gets irritated with Juhi in the beginning” before choosing education over judgment. Crediting the writers’ meticulous research for making his job easier, Kumeria hopes the audience mirrors Sanyam’s evolution, replacing hollow sympathy with pure empathy.
Humanity First
“To truly honour the complex autism spectrum, Eisha Singh demands understanding; Vijayendra Kumeria models raw empathy, seeing the person first”