With her dusky looks and superb acting skills, Chitrangada Singh burst into Bollywood with her excellent portrayal in Sudhir Mishra’s Hazaroon Khwaishein Aisi , a movie set in during the Emergency, which also traces the beginnings of naxalism in India. She has gone on to act in a clutch of movies from the inane ( Sorry Bhai) , and Desi Boyz to an item song in Joker . She is currently working on Babumoshai Bandookbaaz with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and another project, where she is making a foray into writing as well. In the city for a Gillette promotion event, she talked about her time in the industry and her career plans.
“Bollywood has been very gracious,” says the 38-year-old. “It has helped me become more passionate about films. It has given me a lot of opportunities though I have taken many breaks throughout my career. I am planning on producing a few films and am also keen on writing for films. It helps me stay more associated with the medium.”
The dusky beauty adds, “I have never made plans. I do not set out a strategy before working on a film. I tend to go with my gut feeling. I feel that the director and the script are very important. The part that they offer you to play is also important . I do not want to be typecast as someone who picks only intense roles. I have yet to discover my forte.”
How does one play a character at odds with one’s persona? “It is very tough to play someone who is diametrically opposite to the person you are in real life. It is important to harness the energy of the person you are playing. You need to get into the essence of the character. If you are able to find that, you would do justice to the character.”
Chitrangada feels that the recent trend of women-centric movies such as Queen and Kahani are not just a flash in the pan. “I do not think it is a new phenomenon. Bollywood has made many movies that have strong female characters. It is more to do with good entertaining movies with a strong script becoming commercially successful.”
How does one walk the balance between a good film and commercial success? “No one wants to make a bad film. There is space for the occasional mindless cinema alongside intense movies. The audiences are huge and different directors work for different segments. Any movie that entertains people is good cinema and deserves appreciation.”
She considers Zoya Akhtar and Sudhir Mishra inspiring figures in Bollywood. “I like the fact that Zoya’s movies are never run of the mill, she makes an effort to understand human emotions and feelings. I feel her movies are similar to Hrishiekesh Mukherjee movies.”
