I'm dying to do a full-on masala movie: Sayani Gupta

Bs_logoImage
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Feb 17 2017 | 1:32 PM IST
She may have received critical acclaim for her offbeat and distinctive roles in films like her debut in "Margarita, with a Straw" and most recently "Fan" but Sayani Gupta says she is eager to work in a typical song-and-dance Bollywood movie.
"I'm dying to do a masala Bollywood film with typical song and dance. But having said that, my character in the film should have her own point of view. I won't play a role who has no brains," says Sayani.
The actress, who will be seen in an Indo-British production called "The Hungry" along with noted names like Naseeruddin Shah and Tisca Chopra, says she has been approached by banners who have offered her big parts but she refused them because they either didn't have enough meat for her to dig in or were very vague.
"I have said no to a lot of big roles because sometimes they had a very misogynist set-up in the film. I cannot be an actress who acts as the bling factor in the movie or simply gets satisfied with playing a second fiddle to the hero on-screen," Sayani told PTI in an interview.
Talking about "The Hungry", she says it is a special project with a "solid cast and incredible crew" and she has a complex role to play in it.
"Doing 'The Hungry' has been the most satisfying cinematic experience for me so far. It is a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's first play 'Titus Andronicus', which is not included in the list of his most popular works.
Apart from "The Hungry", Sayani will also be seen playing a 14-year-old girl in Anurag Basu's highly-awaited "Jagga Jasoos", starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif in the lead.
The movie is slated to release this year. The actress says she wants the audience to like her work but never worries about the reviews.
"I'm neither excited nor worried when my film releases. As an artiste, I would definitely want people to like my work... that's why we are here. But I don't really sit up and look at reviews. I have never sat down to ponder over what others have to say."
She, however, is happy that critics have praised her work so far but says if the films don't work, individual appreciation is irrelevant.
"I'm never happy with my work. I always go back home thinking I could have done so so much better. That next time I have to be more in control of my craft. Just based on reviews, no one can declare that you have arrived."
Citing the example of "Fan" where she played an important role, Sayani says, "Shah Rukh is incredible in the film. I thought it was a world-class act. Despite his superlative performance, it didn't do well. Yes, his acting was appreciated, the movie didn't receive the response we all were looking for.

You’ve reached your limit of 5 free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.

Already subscribed? Log in

Subscribe to read the full story →
Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories

  • Over 30 subscriber-only stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 17 2017 | 1:32 PM IST