March 2019

www.theasianindependent.co.uk
Ridhima Pandit’s claim to fame was her debut
show Bahu Hamari Rajni Kant after which she
went on to do various web series and shows.
However, very few people know that she was an
artist agent before jumping in front of the camera.
Ridhima Pandit’s claim to fame was her debut
show Bahu Hamari Rajni Kant after which she
went on to do various web series and shows.
However, very few people know that she was an
artist agent before jumping in front of the camera.
“Being an artist agent, I used to help lock the
endorsement deals for the celebrities and take
care of their contracts and bookings. I’m so
happy that today I can do all my contracts and
bookings by myself,” Ridhima says.
She, too, faced celebrities’ tantrums that made
her learn what not to do as an actor. “Some of the
actors who I was working with were very troublesome
with their silly demands and not being
committed to their work. When I was aspiring to
become an actor, I used to look at some celebrities
and say that I’ll never be troublesome for
anyone,” Ridhima says.
It was her boss at the artist management company
who pushed her to take the leap of faith. “I
wasn’t willing to leave my job and try my luck in
acting, looking at the instability and unorganised
‘After Uri, offers
have improved’
Actor Mohit Raina says the film’s success and reception
has definitely helped him bag better movie offers
Actor Mohit Raina is happy with all the praise
that’s been coming his way after Uri: The Surgical
Strike managed to create all the right noises with the
audience as well as at the box office. Actor Mohit
Raina is happy with all the praise that’s been coming
his way after Uri: The Surgical Strike managed
to create all the right noises with the audience as
well as at the box office.
He shares there’s been a change, an improvement
of sorts, in the variety of roles he’s being offered
now. “It has definitely improved,” he admits and
adds, “Uri was a prior commitment, and I have a
project lined up after this as well, for which I will
start shooting in May-June. Whenever a project
does well, it benefits anybody and everybody who’s
involved... [As a result of which] I have more good
offers and scripts to read [now].”
On how did he take the success of Uri, which
recently completed 50 days in theatres, Mohit says,
“The feeling is that of happiness. The subject has
been appreciated and has touched every Indian
across the globe. I never expected people, (say) in
the United States, to go for the night shows to
see the film. It’s a ~200 crore film, things have
become beyond, of course. But this connection
is beyond numbers now. It has
become an emotion. I wanted to have
my name attached to this project. I
[had a feeling] that if it hits the
right spot, it’d [receive] much
appreciation, and touch the
audience.” Mohit, who
played the role of Major
Karan Kashyap in Uri,
says even though he
has started getting
ENTERTAINMENT
I was once yelled
at by a director :
Ridhima Pandit
way of working. My boss, one day, literally rassments didn’t stop me. Instead, it made me
chucked me out and said that I can come back fearless and take up new challenges. I only try to
even when I’m 59 years old. If my acting plan give more than I’m asked for and that’s how I’m
flops, they will take me back,” Ridhima says. growing,” Ridhima says.
And there is no looking back for her. But with But now being on the other side, Ridhima
no acting background, the actor went through a agrees that a celebrity’s life is not easy. “I’ll not
tough time. “I’m not a trained actor. Whatever I blame the actors as they also have a very busy
know, I learned on the go by observing other schedule and sometimes you’re not in the frame
actors. There were times when I was yelled by of mind while shooting, maybe due to your loved
the director who would say “stop overacting ones’ health or any sort of rejection. But one has
yaar… what are you doing?’ Facing rejection to draw a line and not let other things affect you,”
made me doubt myself but insults and embar-
Ridhima adds.
more offers, his outlook
towards the process of bagging
(vis-à-vis screen tests)
a film hasn’t changed. “I
don’t have any issues going
for a screen test. It has
always worked in my
favour. There’s no end to
acting, as a job. You cannot
say you have ‘arrived’.
Every filmmaker is different.
A screen test allows the
makers to visualise,” says
Mohit.
On how Super 30 happened for her, Mrunal
says, “It was fantastic. It was a long process, where
auditions and screen tests happened. Then there
were workshops with Hrithik. I learnt a new language
— Bihari — and
also the dance form
Kathak. The way I used
to emote earlier, there’s a
huge difference in it now,
post learning Kathak.
And then, working with
the Greek God himself…
Everything I have done
has been different — television,
films like Love
Sonia. Every day I learn
something new.”
Love Sonia, which
highlighted the issue of
sex trafficking, released
last year to critical
acclaim, and also premiered in London, recently.
In Batla House, Mrunal has a completely different
role. “Every time I go on sets of Batla, I am so
nervous, excited, and confused as to how do I make
it different? The best thing is that the interviews
March 2019
17
Good girls go to heaven, but I can
be everywhere: Sangita Ghosh
Several television actors are shedding the good bahu archetype
to take up antagonist roles, and actor Sangita Ghosh says that playing
such characters allows her to be ‘limitless’.
She played a negative role in Rishton Ka Chakravyuh and is
again doing one in her current show. Asked what she likes about
going bad, Sangita laughs, “There is a saying: ‘Good girls go to
heaven (bad girls go everywhere). I think I can be everywhere.”
On a slightly thoughtful note, Sangita adds, “If you are good,
your conscience needs to be clean. When you are bad, conscience
isn’t there. I am only talking about roles here. There’s a lot more
you can try and experiment with, when you go bad. There is no
limit. I like the limitlessness.”
Of late, Hindi TV shows such as Sasural Simar Ka and Naagin
have explored the supernatural/fantasy space. However, in her
case, she says, it was sheer experimentation that she set out for.
“It’s something that I had never done before. I had done almost
everything on television as a protagonist. Then a negative role was
offered to me. I did that in my last show,” the actor says.m “So,
when I was offered a supernatural kind of a role, I was like ‘This
is such a dark role and I’ll get to do stuff that I had never done
before’. I loved the character. She is not the regular horrifying
looking supernatural entity that keeps on flying. She is very confident,”
ends Sangita, who is best known for the romantic TV
drama Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand.
HAR KOI SAB KUCHH KAR
SAKTA HAI, SAYS MRUNAL
and press junkets I did during Love Sonia helped
me learn the body language of a news anchor,
which I play in Batla. I myself am a journalist, but
it was still difficult and I am trying to figure things
out,” she shares.
Meanwhile, she has
started prepping for the
larger-thanlife, actionpacked
Baahubali series.
“I have started preparing,”
says Mrunal.
“I have started learning
Kalaripayattu, and finished
my horse riding
classes before going to
London. The audience
watches television,
films... all platforms.”
“They shouldn’t be
restricted to TV, films,
web... I want to explore
and set an example, ki har koi sab kuchh kar sakta
hai. Nowadays, streaming platforms are the next
thing. So why not? I feel every opportunity is golden.
I shouldn’t waste whatever comes my way. I
just hop onto it if my gut agrees,” she ends.