Rasika Dugal
Rasika Dugal, who has done many content-driven films like Tahaan, Qissa, Kshay will next feature in Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Manto. The actress who will be playing Safia Manto in Nandita Das directorial said that she is open to mainstream Bollywood films, but so far she has been offered 'insignificant roles'.
Rasika is an alumnus of the prestigious Films and Television Institute of India. She made her acting debut in 2007 with Anwar and since then she has featured in content-driven films.
Since she is not labeled as a 'quintessential Bollywood star', would she like to feature in mainstream Hindi film? "I have always been open mainstream Bollywood films as well. I have never said 'I want to do this kind of a film or not', but they (makers) have not wanted me. And the roles that I have been offered in mainstream Bollywood have been very insignificant to the story and therefore I have been disinterested in them. I wouldn't say I have not got calls for films, but not the kind of roles that I want to do. If someone gives me a meaty enough role, I will be happy to do it," Rasika said.
The 33-year-old says that on the flipside, films like Qissa and Manto came to her.
"I do believe that as an artist you attract the work you are seeking from within even though you consciously did not understand that. So, I guess I wanted to do these films and whether it's Qissa or Manto, they have given me more than what artistes get to do in a lifetime. Artistes live their entire lives without getting to work on projects like this," she added.
Having Manto at Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category also gave her a sense of achievement. "Cannes was a big tick mark on my bucket list because, for the kind of work that I do, one of the highest recognition you can get in the kind of films I do is that a film of yours is at Cannes in such a respectable category. It was in the Un Certain Regard which is not an easy category to get into and very few films get in there," she said.
Now the film will be releasing in India in September and Rasika is excited about it. "I am just waiting for the world to watch Manto. I am waiting for people in our country who have been reading Manto for a really long time and who are involved with his texts in a way and want to know more about his life... I am waiting for them to watch it," said the actress.
(With IANS inputs)
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