Art & Entertainment

Sarita Choudhury

The actress of <i>Mississippi Masala</i> and <i>The Lady in the Water</i> on her latest film <i>For Real</i>

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Sarita Choudhury
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Your films reflect an unusual variety. How do you choose your scripts?

The script is the first sign for me if a film is good, then the director, then the actors.

Your looks are a talking point with everyone.

I used to see my looks as a liability. After university, my brains started to catch up with my looks and I didn’t care anymore.

Working with Manoj Night Shyamalan and then shifting to a Delhi home. How was it?

Yes, Sona Jain (director) had to give me her apartment to live in, but money can’t buy the home-cooked food or the hot chai. And sitting under a tree was better than a fancy trailer.

You haven’t done many Hindi films. Why?

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I want to do Hindi films!

What roles do Asian actors abroad get?

Post-9/11, there was a surge in ‘terrorist’ roles! But I’ve played Spanish, Italian, or just the ‘girlfriend’ who’s a New Yorker.

How did Sona Jain cast you for this film?

I played a role in a short film at nyu for which Sona had written the script. Later we met again and discussed her film. And over time, the role of Priya was mine.

You were single when the film began and became a mother during the film.

When I became a mother, the acting was ‘For Real’! In the film, Priya gives up singing to become a mother. If someone took acting away from me, my joy of motherhood would suffer.

How was the mother-daughter subject?

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Being a mother in a movie actually helps your acting because you’re dealing with child actors who are so spontaneous. It focuses you.

How difficult is it to work with child actors?

It’s hard to work with children. They seem to be distracted or uninterested. When you see the film, their performances blow you away.

How would you describe the experience of working in this film?

I loved working on the film and having my daughter with me, seeing India.

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