00:00How did you get the role of Rajmata Sohra Bai?
00:05Well, I think it was a very well-researched story.
00:09And when they came to me with the role of Rajmata Sohra Bai, it was very well-researched.
00:17I still have all the sketches and stories read together.
00:21So when you have all those details, all you have to do is be very, very sincere to what you're doing.
00:27And just feel the character the way the makers want you to feel.
00:33And I guess they did a beautiful job with the sets, with the costumes, with everything and the nuances and the dialogues.
00:40And of course, our director was really lovely.
00:43So you get that feeling that you are a part of that century.
00:50I think it was a beautiful experience. I've never done a historical like this before.
00:55And it was beautiful to do something like this.
01:02That depends clearly on the story you're choosing to say.
01:05If you're talking about generally in the industry and not talking about stories, then yes, it's a man's world still.
01:13We are on our way to make it equivalent, but there's a long way to go for that, I think.
01:19But yeah, when you talk about stories and historical characters, it depends.
01:24If you take the role of Rani Lakshmi Bai, then of course she's the protagonist.
01:29If you take the role of Indira Gandhi, then she's the protagonist.
01:32So it depends on whose story you're telling.
01:36If you're telling the story of Maharaj Sambhaji, then it's his story.
01:41So yeah, it varies.
01:43You have to take a little cinematic liberty when you're telling a story.
01:53But yes, the facts should remain as they are.
01:58If you're presenting them in a decorative way, then what's wrong with that?
02:07Well, I have worked with Laxman Rothikar before in Nazar Andaz.
02:11And this is my second film with him.
02:13And I clearly remember when he came, he so clearly knew what exactly he wanted me to play
02:20and how he wanted me to play it.
02:22And I love the way the whole set took care of me.
02:26Like we did the scene where I light a lamp with my hand.
02:30So when I had to light the lamp, everyone made sure to put wax on my hand so that my hand wouldn't get burnt.
02:38But even if I didn't get burnt, the intensity of the scene was so intense that I had actually flown in it.
02:45And the director said, no, no, no, please put wax.
02:48But I'm saying that is the beauty of a character, of the people around you.
02:53They put you in such a role that you don't realize when you've flown in it.
02:59So I think for me, it's a matter of pride to have played Rajmata Sohrabai.
03:05And I'm getting so much love.
03:07Wherever I go, everyone talks about Chawahar.
03:10It feels great to belong to a film which has really become a blockbuster, which has broken records
03:15and which is a story that needed to be told and we all should be very proud of it.
03:25People will say something.
03:27To each their own.
03:28I wouldn't really comment on something that anyone would think about someone.
03:33My job is to do my job and do it well.
03:36And I think she's a lovely girl is what I feel.
03:38And she has a very charming presence in the film.
03:46My entire focus was on the director because he had given such a beautiful arc to that role.
03:52Incidentally, it was supposed to be a male role.
03:59It was written in such a way that it's supposed to be done by a male actor.
04:04And then I think they were contemplating making it a female role.
04:07And by chance, I think it was just by chance that it happened that we spoke and he said,
04:13would you do season two?
04:14And I jumped.
04:15I said, of course I will, because I loved season one.
04:19And the way he gave the arc that the two stories run parallel between the teacher and the student.
04:26I think it would have come only if it was a female character.
04:29And that beauty Anand Tiwari brought it in that role.
04:33And I think people haven't seen me look like that or act like that.
04:37So it was a very different experience for me to unlearn and learn again.
04:41Learning western classical music.
04:43It wasn't a bridge, but yes, actually you're right.
04:48It was a bridge because it introduces both the family and their music.
04:54So yeah, I think I just loved it.
04:58If I'm given a choice, I'd love to relive and do this series all over again.
05:05So beautiful.
05:11All the time now we do that, but it has to be healthy competition.
05:15Any role, any film that you do, there will always be two, three choices.
05:19Very few, of course, they'll say, of course, this role has been written keeping you in mind.
05:26So there are those films too, but there are so many films where there are always three names.
05:33One will be mine, one will be of another actor, one will be of another actor.
05:37Then there is a choice among them as to who to take out of the three, who will be with them.
05:41So of course there is competition.
05:44Of course, you give it your best and you should.
05:47That keeps the adrenaline rushing.
05:49I don't mind calling up a director and saying, I'd love to work with you.
05:53I mean, it's a great thing.
05:55This is something you love doing.
05:57And you should do it unapologetically.
06:00That hunger is very important.
06:03And I consider it healthy competition.
06:07These actresses are my friends and we compete with them.
06:11And whoever gets it, gets it.
06:13And then the next film.
06:17What genre of music?
06:20Folk music.
06:21I love folk music.
06:23And I think there's a traditional value to it.
06:27There's a grounded, rooted thing to folk music, which talks about the midi of the land.
06:35And I think the songs reflect that.
06:38So I love folk music.
06:46And Bandish Banerjee?
06:50I've never seen it this way.
06:52But I think you bring an important part of every character with you.
06:56You don't think, I've learned something new.
06:59I'll use it on my family.
07:01That doesn't happen.
07:02But yes, you bring something from that character.
07:05And somewhere, subconsciously, I think subconscious is a very important part of our lives.
07:10You use it.
07:12Where do you use it?
07:14I don't know.
07:15Anyway, I think in day-to-day life, I'll pick up something and it'll go into my characters.
07:20It's vice versa.
07:21Like we say, how films and society affect each other.
07:25It's such a relationship that you'll see some things of society in films.
07:29You'll see some things of films in society.
07:32I think it's the same with characters.
07:34Some of your part goes into the characters.
07:36Some of the characters' part comes with you.
07:38Why did you choose to learn classical music?
07:43I sang an opera for Bandish Bandits.
07:46It's very difficult to learn western classical music unlearned.
07:51I mean, whatever I needed to learn at that time.
07:55It's a very lavish, big sphere to learn classical music.
08:00But of course, there was a time when I wanted to learn guitar.
08:05There was a music teacher at home and he ended up teaching my nephew.
08:09I took 2-3 classes and then you get busy.
08:14But I enjoyed learning all the classes.
08:17We used to learn piano on the set.
08:19One of our actors actually learnt how to play piano on the set.
08:24So, that was amazing.
Comments