Loved Ranveer Singh's energy and Radhika Apte's professionalism: Actor Angana Roy

"Tarun Majumdar sir had said he would give me a chocolate if I had smiled in the audition. I instantly smiled," shares Roy, who will be seen alongside actor Radhika Apte in Mrs. Undercover, recollecting her patchy memory about her 'Alo' journey.

Excerpts

Q. How did you come into films at that tender age?

A. Basically there was an audition, as I heard from my mother, where a huge number of kids went there. I was four-five-year old then.

Q. How was your experience of featuring in Tarun Majumdar's film? Tell us some incidents.

A. I went for the shoot with my grandparents to Bolpur. There was a scene where I was in a huge swing and it was painful for me at that age. But sir (Tarun Majumdar) attended me, put cream on my hands and inspired me to carry on. So he provided a very safe environment.

Q. Did you want to become an actor since then only?

A. I always wanted to be an actor. I was heavily influenced by Bollywood. I was that kid who would watch TV, daily soaps back then. I wanted to be a performer when I was growing up.

Q. How supportive were your parents?

A. When I was in my teens, my father asked me to concentrate on studies completely. He had discouraged me from going into films out of fear of this industry at that impressionable age. So I had stopped thinking about acting. But I realised I can’t go on like this while I was studying Engineering in college.

Q. Your filmography is heavily tilted towards OTT. Was it a conscious approach?

A. No. It just happened actually. I started off with Shei Je Holud Pakhi followed by Chupkotha 2. I was still studying engineering back then and my father didn’t like it at all (laughs). So the projects have started happening for me one after the other. I didn’t particularly choose to be doing a lot of web work but I like it.

I think the web is more of a medium closer to films than television. But not working on television was a conscious effort on my part. I was offered quite a few times. I would like to work on television at some point but not now, I want to explore more web or film mediums more.

Q. Why were you not interested in working on television?

A. I have always wanted to work in films whose closest possible medium is web (OTT). The kind of acting needed on television is different from the ones in films.

Q. Do you agree that Srikanto has brought the limelight on you?

A. I would say Tansener Tanpura gave me a bit of mileage which I probably was needing back then. Last year was very fruitful for me in terms of work. Srikanto helped me in getting a different perspective of me. My work in Srikanto has garnered a lot of praises from various directors who loved my performance. I am grateful that people have noticed that I can bring variation in characters.

Roy in Srikanto

Q. Your filmography also gives a sense that you don’t rush after projects but your approach seems 'slow but steady'.

A. I don’t want to rush. With due respect to all who have different journeys, I would like to count on my scripts and see if I can imagine myself doing that. Even if I don’t get to work for two-three months, I would rather wait for that opportunity to portray a better character for myself.

Q. Despite being a Bollywood fan, you portrayed characters which are very much different and de-glamourised!

A. I was never attracted to the glitz and glamour of Bollywood but its grandeur. The Hindi television and films back then when I was growing up were completely different from what we see now. So that kind of shaped my ideology regarding films and any kind of screen work. I just want to be an actor and want to do good roles and meaningful work.

Q. Do you have any dream role in mind?

A. I don’t have a bucket list but I want to do a proper period film playing a character from the 1960s-1970s. I want to try that.

Q. How was it like de-glamourising yourself in Srikanto?

A. It was quite fun. The entire process of me getting into my character Rajlokkhi used to take one hour. The directorial team out there made it very easy though the work was tough.

Q. The OTT platform also helps you to create your own audience, right?

A. Yes. After Homecoming was released, someone from New Zealand had texted me. I think this is what actors live for.

Q. How was your adventure with Ranveer Singh and Radhika Apte?

A. I was happy to even give an audition for the commercial featuring Ranveer Singh, leave alone getting selected for it.  I did not expect one bit that I would get selected. I was super gushy, happy that I could see him face to face. Ranveer (Singh) was nice, he liked my tattoo, made jokes about my name Angana equating it with Kangana (Kangana Ranaut). He is full of energy.

Radhika Apte was very different. I loved the professionalism of Radhika Apte the most. She would come on the set, go to her (vanity) van, prepare for her character, come for the scene, rehearse, talk to the director and go back to the van. She always remains in the zone of acting and rehearses a lot.

(From L to R) Ranveer Singh and Radhika Apte | Image Credit: Facebook/Ranveer Singh/Radhika Apte

Q. Do you give emphasis to rehearsals more?

A. I think that elevates a scene. I think it’s very important for actors to get in the zone. I don’t believe in making everything on set.

Q. Name a few actors or directors you want to work with.

A. I would actually want to work with a lot of people. In the Bengali industry, I am very much keen to work with Kaushik Ganguly, Ritwick Chakraborty among many.

(Images of Angana Roy: Avishek Mitra/IBNS)