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‘Regrets are senseless’
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Nandana Sen reflects on her choice of films and her role as Sugandha, Raja Ravi Verma’s muse
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Tough talk Nandana Sen dons the role of Sugandha
Nandana Sen has her way with words. The way she narrates her character reflects her understanding of her role. You won’t get clichéd ‘It’s a different role’ statements from her. Instead, she’ll tell you that her cha
racter, Preity, in the film Strangers, is “a girl from London who’s used to constant attention from men, but is swept off her feet by the unconventional advances of a cynical writer (Jimmy). Preity’s a romantic at heart, extremely warm – but when she’s hurt she can turn momentarily cold, even cruel. There’s nothing airbrushed about Preity.”
The actress who was earlier seen in films like My Wife’s Murder, Tango Charlie and Black is back with Strangers that also stars Jimmy Shergill, Kay Kay Menon and Sonali Kulkarni. Nandana divides her times between Indian and international films and admits choosing films are an emotional decision for her. She says, “I was impressed by how complex and real the characters are – the fact that the heroes in Strangers are also its villains. I need to fall in love with a story immediately to say yes.” She credits her co-stars Jimmy and Kay Kay for their “brilliant work” and says tongue firmly in cheek, “It was quite a trip to be romanced by both on screen!”
Much before Strangers, Nandana was on board for Forest. This is Ashvin Kumar’s first feature film after his short film Little Terrorist was nominated in the Live Action Short Film category for the Oscars. On Forest, expected to release soon, Nandana Says, “Here, my character Radha is an uncompromisingly ‘real’ heroine. She is a cerebral, tough-talking girl who hides a tender heart.”
The plum offer on her hand is the role of Sugandha, Raja Ravi Verma’s muse in Shaji Karun’s film Rang Rasiya. “It’s the love-story of Raja Ravi Varma and his muse, Sugandha. I loved every aspect of preparing for this role – from wearing navwari saris to rediscovering our classical heroines like Shakuntala, Damayanti, Urvashi, Sita and Draupadi that Sugandha posed as. Sugandha’s life mirrors the ordeals faced by these archetypal women,” she says. On the relationship between the painter and his muse, Nandana says, “Ravi Varma sees in her the face and soul of a goddess. Sugandha is the eternal child-woman.”
2008 will see Nandana in diverse roles. “You will see me as a rifle-wielding tough chick, a heartbroken city girl, a beguiling Devadasi, an Islamic pacifist, a South- African rebel and even a Mexican activist.”
Ask her if she regrets films like Marigold or the miniscule role in Black and she retorts, “What for? Black was the only film in which I played a non-lead role since I was keen to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I’ve got a lot of work because of Black. Regrets are utterly senseless.”
So far, films haven’t been a cakewalk. Having studied and worked in theatre in US and UK and dealing with expectations that rise from being the daughter of Amartya Sen and writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen, she admits, “My goal is not to be the number one and I’ve never played it safe. Since my first release here in 2005, I’ve played lead roles in eight films in India and abroad.” A pause later she adds, “But don’t get me wrong. Am I praying that Mani Ratnam will cast me? Every day!”
SANGEETHA DEVI DUNDOO
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