Swara: Wedded to the art of acting

by ASJAD NAZIR

ACCLAIMED actress Swara Bhasker is regularly called upon to take up challenging characters and deliver power-filled performances that add weight to a movie.

In this week’s big Bollywood release Veere Di Wedding, Swara has gone out of her comfort zone once again to portray one of four best friends negotiating the world of love and marriage. She stars along­side Sonam Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Shikha Talsania in what looks like being a potentially game-changing film, with girl power and plenty of colourful language. The eye-catching come­dy will add to the memorable roles she has already played.

Eastern Eye caught up with Swara to talk about the film, her biggest challenge doing it, swearing, friendship, her unique un­fulfilled acting ambition and more.

You have done quite a few memorable roles, but which has been closest to your heart?

I think Nil Battey Sannata and Anaarkali of Aarah have been my most favourite memories of doing character work, acting and shooting. I also really liked Raanjhanaa – Bindiya is one of my favourite characters because in the very purest sense, I was able to connect with her.

Nil Battey Sannata is one of my all-time favourite In­dian movies and I think everyone should watch it, in­cluding those reading this.

(Smiles) Thanks so much, Asjad.

How do you select the characters you play because they are very diverse?

I always say that actors can only choose from what is of­fered to them. When I make choices, I always try to pick roles that give me the most chance to perform and will sort of chal­lenge me in some way.

If I am very lucky, I will get something like Nil Battey Sannata and Anaarkali of Aarah that would completely tire me out in terms of playing that character, building it, living it and so on. Largely that is what it is. Whether it was Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Tanu Weds Manu, Raan­jhanaa or Listen Amaya, I think I can safely say that all of my characters were fairly worthy and memorable. They gave me a chance to perform.

That is also the case with Veere Di Wedding, which is great fun, but she is a character who has something to say.

What else did you like about Veere Di Wedding?

I loved the friendship element of the film and that it was a com­mercial, mainstream Bollywood story about four girls, and nobody falls in love with the same guy. I loved the fact that it was very unapologet­ic and very close to how young urban women are in India today – how they sound, look, speak, feel and the problems they deal with. I also liked my character Sakshi Soni, because there is an element of surprise about her. She is sardonic, blunt, yet a deeply emotional person.

Is it fair to say this film took you out of your comfort zone, but in a different way because it’s the most glamorous role you have done?

Yes, oh my god, yes, it did in every way. I think the really hardcore character apart, I had to become someone who is very much outside me and not so close geographical­ly, culturally or socially.

In terms of everyday people, it has be­come easy for me because I have a set way of preparing for those roles now, but to play a rich urban girl so conscious of her clothes, make-up, look and weight was a challenge. I kept jokingly telling (produc­er) Rhea Kapoor, director (Shashanka Ghosh) and everyone on the film that the acting for me in this film was wearing the (designer) clothes. So yes, I was very un­comfortable, and have no qualms about admitting it. When we finally finished shooting, I was like so relieved.

So will you now be doing the more glamorous roles?

I think if I can find the happy combination of glamour and a role that also allows you to act, then yes, sure, why not. I think that an actor should have no rules or hang-ups.

How did you feel acting alongside such great female talent?

It was great. Sonam is a friend from films we have done together before like Raanjhanaa and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. Shikha is a tre­mendous actor who I have seen on stage and

and adored in the classic sense of the word. She is such an amazing spirit and was so much fun on set, and was so great to work with. By looking at her I was able to pick up a lot of things for my character because Kareena has that devil-may-care attishe is brilliant in the film. Kareena is a diva, star tude, which I think my character has as well. ­

The trailer has some incredible moments, but what was your favourite scene in the film?

(Laughs) I think my favourite moment in the film is when Kareena’s character gives a list of wed­ding rules like mehendi, and says, ‘What the f**k is happening, yaar’. I think that captures the madness of Indian weddings. I also love the scene when she is sitting on the moon and it falls. And I love the part when Sonam’s character says, ‘Go marry your mum, you bloody mother lover.’ There are so many moments like that.

What about any for your character?

I love the line where the guy says, ‘Why don’t you get a f*****g job, Sakshi,” and she replies, ‘Then who will make your Rajma-rice eve­ry day, you NRI ****.’

I love the colourful lan­guage in the trailer. Is your language as bad in real life?

I am a real potty mouth. I may need to now do some historical characters that have a lot of grace and dignity. All my current characters seem to find a way to start swearing at someone in a film.

Do you have a strong circle of female friends like you do in Veere Di Wedding?

They are not all in the same group, but I do have some very close, supportive and amazing female friends. Having close fe­male friends is the best thing in the world.

Who is the most fun person you know?

I am fortunate enough to know a lot of fun people. On set Kareena was great fun, actual­ly. I think out of the four of us she was the most entertaining. She bought a lot of enjoy­ment and Rhea Kapoor is also a lot of fun.

You are a versatile actress, but do you have a dream role you would love to play?

I want to be able to play a man once in my life, because I believe that there should be no bound­aries. I think a true performer should be able to play anything. I want to cross the gender barrier. But I don’t want to play a man as in a tomboy, I want to play a man, man.

What inspires and motivates you as an actor?

I think there is so much turmoil in the world in which we live in now, and as actors, we are basi­cally a part of the tradition of storytelling. It ex­cites me to be able to tell stories that have not been heard before and play characters who are difficult to empathise with, yet be able to bring those to the screen.

I believe films should be able to make audi­ences think hard and critically, and shouldn’t just be about entertainment. I think it really in­spires me to tell stories that push boundaries for the audiences as well in terms of taking them out of their comfort zones, so we, as a society, become a little more criti­cal minded.

What are the kind of movies you like watching?

I like romantic comedies and dra­mas. I don’t like science fiction, action or horror. Romances, come­dy and dramas are more my kind of stuff.

Why should we go watch Veere Di Wedding?

It is great fun and everyone should have some­thing enjoyable to do. It will also be a nice way to realise that actually friendship has no gender. Whether it is a story about girl friends or guy friends, it is basically about friendship.

Are you surprised that a film like this has not been made before?

I believe we should not be surprised, but rather proud that a film like this has finally been made. It is 2018 as I said, yet this is the first time telling a story about four heroines and no one is in love with the same guy. It has taken more than 100 years of Hindi cinema to get to this point.

Finally, why do you love cinema?

Cinema is a visual, extremely powerful medium that connects to us and makes us feel in very dif­ferent ways. It touches us and that is why we love it. It escapes the intellect and goes straight to the heart. It is the power of the visual medium.

•  Veere Di Wedding is in cinemas now.