'We women are inherent warriors'

You are one of the few film debutants who is already a star. You are a well-known personality even before the release of your first film. Does that put any pressure on you?

I am not really sure whether I am a star, and I don't feel any pressure as I am very chilled out. I am very content, I guess. I would rather focus on my work than worry. I just want to do my best in whatever I do, whether in the scripts I choose or the roles I select. I don't feel any pressure.

What made you choose the unconventional character of Jhalkari Bai and the film Manikarnika – The Queen Of Jhansi to make your debut?

When I was approached for the role of Jhalkari Bai, I decided to do some research on her. I realised there wasn't much material available. That was reason enough for me to take up this character, as I wanted to tell people about her strength. She was a warrior, she was a fighter and she fought for our country.

I thought it would be a dream for any actor to play such a character and to debut with such a film. And, the fact that I had been given the opportunity, there was no reason to not do it. I also thought that I could relate to her as a woman. We women are inherently warriors and fighters in our personal lives. I was getting a chance to play such a strong character on screen – I grabbed it with both hands.

Like you already said, not much is known about Jhalkari Bai and there are very few reference points. In the course of the film, what did you find out about her and how did you go about preparing for this character?

Jhalkari Bai and Rani Laxmi Bai looked very similar. She would often disguise herself as the queen and meet the British. She was Rani Laxmi Bai's right-hand and a part of every war and strategic decision she made. She headed the queen's all-woman army.

When I started working on the character, I met the director, Krish (Radha Krishna Jagaralamudi) and Kamal Jain. The whole story of Jhalkari Bai and Rani Laxmi Bai was narrated to me. Not much is known about Jhalkari Bai. There are a few pictures and some references here and there, but not enough to help me prepare for the character. So, along with the narration from Krish, I used my own inputs.

I asked myself what a woman who belonged to that era would be like. How would she feel for her country? I decided to put myself in her shoes and take it from there. I decided to create my own character. I thought Jhalkari should be like me. How would she react to situations? What would her character be like? She also has a love story in the film. How would she have been with her boyfriend or her husband?

I put myself in her shoes and tried to think and react like she would. Since there isn't much reference on Jhalkari Bai, I decided to take on her character and perform. So, somewhere, there is a part of me in Jhalkari Bai. I added a part of me to the character and made her my own.

You have a very distinct look in the film. How did you arrive at that particular look for Jhalkari Bai?

Jhalkari Bai was from the Dalit community. Neeta Lulla and I discussed what we could do for her look. The women in this community wear a lot of jewellery and have a lot of tattoos. They also wear several small braids. I just thought this look would be different from the others. Rani Laxmi Bai has a distinct look, after all, she is the queen. I wanted my character to stand out too, so that people could tell that this was Jhalkari Bai. That is how the look was finalised.

How did you feel when you saw yourself on screen for the first time?

While working on the sets, I never saw myself. I never saw my scenes after I shot for them either. I wanted to see myself on the big screen. It is a dream for any actor to see themselves for the first time on celluloid.

Of course, I saw a few scenes when I was dubbing. And, I have to admit, the feeling was something else. I cannot explain what I felt. I have seen myself on television for six years, but the feeling when I saw the trailer for the first time on the big screen was unparalleled. I was in tears as this has been my childhood dream. Most actresses say this was not something they had planned and that they stumbled into acting. But I always knew I wanted to be an actress. Seeing myself on the big screen was a feeling I will never forget.

Many TV actors who make the transition to films say that they always thought of TV as the first step towards cinema. What about you?

The medium never makes a difference to me. I worked in TV as hard as I worked on my film. I never thought that TV was my first step and then I would do films. It is just growth, I guess, the transition from TV to films. I have done TV for six years and after that I wanted to do films. It was not that I was preparing for films.

I did what I needed to do at the time. I don't prepare for anything. When I got Pavitra Rishta, I took it. Then I got Manikarnika and I did it. I don't know what I am going to do next.

How was it working with Kangana Ranaut, the actor, and Kangana Ranaut, the director?

It is always great to work with talented actors. Not just Kangana, I got to work with Danny (Denzongpa) sir and Kulbhushan Kharabanda sir. I have worked with Atul Kulkarni sir. You get to learn so many new things. During the shoot, I used to sit on the sets and watch them because there is so much you can learn by just looking at them work.

And, when I used to sit with Danny sir, I used to ask him so many questions about films. He has done so many movies and I wanted to know everything. When he used to tell me about his experiences while working in films, I used to listen to him in awe, just like a small child listening to fairy tales. Everyone was very down-to-earth, especially Danny sir.

Kangana is very professional. Everyone is, but there is sincerity in the way she works. She gives 100 per cent to everything she does. When she started directing my scenes, she was completely into it. When she was acting, she was in the actor's zone and when she started directing, she was in the director's zone. She used to explain the scenes, look into every detail including the clothes I was wearing for a particular scene. She took the initiative in everything. I think she is a very secure actor, which we don't get to see nowadays. Today, everyone is competing with everyone else.

The film has had its share of ups and downs. Were you affected by the issues around the film? How did you handle it?

I have always been the girl who is focussed on just one thing. I cannot be all over the place. When I started shooting for Manikarnika, I heard rumours but I wasn't distracted by them. I firmly believed that this was my first film and nothing would go wrong with it. I have deep faith in God and I just kept that faith. And, as you can see, everything has worked out well.

What kind of roles do you want to do in the future?

I want to explore proper commercial roles, where I am dancing, performing and having fun. I have done only serious roles, but I love to have fun. I want to do a character that is more like me. This is also me but it is a different side of me. Mujhe masti karni hai, dance karna hai, romance karna hai!