‘Drawn towards stories with strong female protagonists’

Dr Priyadarshini G Roy believes cinema is a universal language, especially with the power of streaming post-theatrical release. So, she wants to work across diverse industries and is mostly drawn to stories with strong female protagonists and narratives. In fact, her character, Diba, in Subhrajit Mitra’s period Bengali film, ‘Devi Chowdhurani: The Bandit Queen of Bengal’, alongside Srabanti and Prosenjit Chatterjee, is also a woman with layers. Before venturing into films, she also made her foray into entertainment through musical reality shows like ‘American Idol’, ‘The X-Factor’ and ‘The Voice’ and also acted, wrote and produced commercials for ‘SonyTV USA’ and was featured on ZeeTV USA’s ‘Made in America’, the first Indian American series of its kind. With a PhD in strategic media, this actor, singer, dancer, model, producer and four-time pageant queen, Dr Guha, is looking to work in more meaningful films. Excerpts from a chat:

You not only acted in Subhrajit Mitra’s ‘Devi Chowdhurani’ but you were also one of the associate producers of the Bengali film. What sparked your interest in being an actor and producer?

My love for the arts began in childhood and I always knew that my life was meant for the silver screen. For me, acting fulfils the artistic side of expression, while producing allows me to share powerful stories, empower diverse voices and bring projects like ‘Devi Chowdhurani’ to life in ways that resonate with audiences globally. I’m grateful to ‘Adited Motion Pictures’, ‘Lok Arts Collective’ and the entire production team for giving me the opportunity to be part of this historic project as both an actor and associate producer.

We don’t see many young or new producers coming to Bengali cinema as was the case before.

That’s very true. In today’s time, many young people are hesitant to invest in regional cinema because the industry is still finding ways to compete with the marketing power of Bollywood and Hollywood. But I believe Bengali cinema holds a unique intellectual and cultural depth rooted in literature and history and it deserves to be supported. As a ‘Probashi Bengali’, it’s important for me to contribute to this legacy and bring it forward for global audiences.

You were seen playing the character of Diba in the film. Take us behind the scenes of the preparation for the role.

I play the character of Diba, a resolute warrior during the late 18th century in Bengal. She’s not only a fighter on the battlefield but also a woman with layers of emotional depth, battling internal conflicts as much as external ones. To bring Diba to life, I underwent intense preparation. I lost weight, trained in horse riding, sword fighting and performed my own stunts. I also attended acting workshops to make sure the performance was authentic, not just physically but emotionally.

You worked as the continuity supervisor of National Award-winning director Goutam Ghose’s ‘Parikrama’. How was the experience?

It was an incredible learning experience. Goutam uncle taught me the value of precision, patience and the artistry of cinema. Observing the collaboration between global artists gave me a unique perspective on how stories can transcend borders while staying rooted in culture. It was one of those moments early in my career that affirmed I not only wanted to be in front of the camera but also to understand and contribute to the process behind it.

Tell us about your future projects.

‘Devi Chowdhurani’ is a milestone, but it’s also the beginning of a new chapter. I want to continue working across industries - Hollywood, Bollywood and regional cinema - because cinema is a universal language, especially with the power of streaming post-theatrical release. I have a few Hindi, South Indian and Hollywood projects being finalised as an actor. I’m especially drawn to stories with strong female protagonists and narratives that empower and reflect diverse human experiences. Through my production companies in the US and India, I’m developing projects that bridge cultures and bring untold stories to global audiences, including turning my award-winning documentary ‘Colonised - The Largest Genocide’ into a docuseries for a streaming platform.