Dialogue need to fill in more detailed information about t | Page 71
veritable body of work in another
Indian film industry (or two, Tamil
and Telegu, in my case) because if
you’re a Hindi-film novice, you’re a
novice, period.” She claims it’s why
she staved off award ceremonies for a
while. “I never knew anyone at those
things, and I was innately terrified
that people would think I was this
cheap social-climber. I’d rather not
be there and be missed, than be
there and not be wanted.” Her stance
on award shows runs deeper than
simply her societal standing at them.
“I’m not a big believer in the
authenticity of awards,” she shrugs,
and it’s refreshing that her POV
didn’t do a sour-grapes flip when she
won the Golden Rose Award for her
powerful performance in Pink. “In
the ‘Rising Star’ category,” she adds, a
touch of sardonicism lacing her tone.
But, even after getting the industry’s
big pat-on-the-back, she declared to
the media, ripe from the win on the
same day that “awards don’t really
matter. It has nothing to do with how
well you’ve done. The audience is
that barometer. A good films holds an
audience. To peg a film’s failure on it
being an ‘art-house project’ is just a
weak defence,” she scoffs, making
her slant on commercial vs art-house
cinema vehemently lucid in a single
take. “Besides, playing Meenal (her
character in Pink) wasn’t arduous in
terms of learning the nuances of a
new character. I am 99 percent her. I
think that was really why I got the gig
in the first place,” she smiles, and in a
truly pure, honest-to-goodness
moment, she giggles that she’s never
actually cleared an audition—ever (a
fact my PR rep told me I’d be killed
for blurting out before Pink hit
theatres). “So, naturally, it helped
that my carriage, language,
mannerisms—all synced up fluidly
with the character—except what
she’d been through.” It was
channeling that infuriating ordeal
that took to task the actor in Taapsee.
“I had to build up the frustration and
anger of a girl who had been
Ruffled asymmetric dress, Gauri & Nainika;
flared pants, Not So Serious by Pallavi
Mohan; fur jacket, Dhruv Kapoor; earrings,
Salvatore Ferragamo
FOR MORE GREAT STORIES, VISIT cOSMO.In
jAnuARy 2017 COSMOPOLITAN
000