New Delhi: Internationally-acclaimed actress Tannishtha Chatterjee has beaten some of the best-known names in the showbiz industry to carve a niche for herself for non-mainstream projects.
An alumnus of the National School of Drama (NSD), Tannishtha has been lauded for her acting prowess in ‘Brick Lane’, ‘Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain’, ‘Bibar’, ‘Shadows of Time’ and ‘Anna Karenina’. In an exclusive interaction with IBNLive.com, Tannishtha spoke about her film 'Chhoti Moti Batein’. Directed by Sohini Dasgupta, the film will be screened at the Habitat Film Festival on 9 May, 2015.
What made you take up director Sohini Dasgupta’s ‘Choti Moti Batein’?
The film has a very good script which plays out like a psychological drama. Such movies allow an artist to explore his or her abilities and grow as a performer. Moreover, it has been directed by a young director who has portrayed women as normal characters rather than victims. Unfortunately, a lot of films don’t do that and end up projecting women as exploited or tormented individuals. This fresh perspective makes ‘Choti Moti Batein’ a unique venture.
How did you prepare yourself to get into the skin of the character you play in the film?
I had a lot of discussions with Sohini and Ananya Chatterjee about issues such as femininity, childhood, and sexuality. While shooting for the film, Ananya and I behaved like sisters off camera as well. We not only spend a lot of time with each other, but literally ate and played together. This helped me develop a good rapport with her.
Are you comfortable working with debutante filmmakers? How was Sohini Dasgupta as a director?
I have worked with a lot of debutants in the past and enjoyed it thoroughly. As far as Sohini is concerned, thanks to her association with Buddhadeb Dasgupta, she has tremendous mastery over the technical aspects of filmmaking. Furthermore, Sohini exhibited a lot of maturity in the way she handled the type of madness/fun Ananya and I indulged in while shooting.
My character in the movie is a good violin player. So I actually had to learn how to play it. To make my job easier, Sohini gifted me a violin, asking me to rehearse on it. Thanks to her, I now own that violin. It reminds me of all the fun we had while filming.
To what extent are women-centric films commercially viable?
We live in a capitalist world which does not function like a true democracy at all. So, these days, it is possible to sell any and every thing - right from medicines to films - as long as top-notch marketing/ Public Relations (PR) strategies are followed.
If films get an open market, they will be accepted by movie-goers. As such, the current setup, where corporate rule the roost is an excuse for not letting audiences enjoy good cinema.
In what ways are educational institutions like NSD beneficial for aspiring actors?
An institution like NSD gives an artist the freedom to perform without fearing or worrying about judgment. Moreover, formal training also helps one in understanding the intricacies associated with acting as a craft.
Why is there a lot of objectification of women in cinema?
Objectification is associated with almost each and every visual depiction of women. The main reason for this is that we live in a patriarchal society which looks at women in a certain way.
Moreover, women must also be blamed for this situation as they are often not able to take a stand against it. Things can only if we start celebrating the achievements of women.
What are your upcoming projects?
I am doing an Australian film titled 'UnIndian'. Then, there is 'Lion'. On top of that, there is another film titled 'Feast of Varanasi'. It is a British thriller.
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