Page 95 - October 2018 converted

radhiKa madan
think of Champa’s
whole life so that
iT doeS noT maTTer if when Vishal sir

you are a STar Kid or asks me about
why she reacted
noT, your faTe iS in the way she did,

I have an answer
The audience’S hand to it. He doesn’t
spoon feed.
adhika Madan is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Vishal Q. You come
Bhardwaj’s Pataakha. The actor’s film Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota has from a television
Ralso won an award at 2018 Toronto Film Festival. In a conversation background
Radhika gets candid about her Bollywood debut and becoming Champa where you were
Kumari for Pataakha. mostly seen as a
Q. Pataakha is an unusual debut film. Were there inhibitions to play the dutiful daughter-
role? in-law. Now, we
No, not at all. It was a Vishal Bhardwaj film and I would have done any see you swearing
role. I really wanted to live Champa Kumari’s life. When I read the script, on screen. Can
I was so excited to experience being Champa. I did not think even once we say this film is
about my looks as it was adding to the character. It is my dream debut. liberating for you
The moment I started looking like Champa, I started behaving like her. I as an actor?
was talking in her manner. I had a lot of fun
The film just happened to me. I auditioned for the role. I did not have the and enjoyed. We
privilege to choose the script. He liked my audition and I was on board. felt free because
Q. Your entry into Bollywood is interesting. Your film Mard Ko Dard Nahi we could do all
Hota has won an award at TIFF and now Pataakha is up for release. How that we wanted
are you feeling? to. We gained 10 kgs for the second half. So, there were
Right now, nothing is sinking in, to be honest. It still hasn’t sunk in that my no inhibitions to do the role. Meri Aashiqui was different but
film Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota won an award at Toronto Film Festival this not liberating. Having said that, I feel an actor is supposed
year. In fact, it seems surreal that I am debuting with Vishal Bharadwaj’s to feel a sense of freedom.
film. I am just grateful and blessed. It has nothing to do with me. I guess Q. Is there a sense of fear or nervousness regarding
the good wishes of hairdressers and make-up artists during my television acceptance in the film industry?
stint are working for me now. I remember, when I was doing Meri Aashiqui I was always told television actors do not get roles in
Tum Se, they used to tell me I will go places. So, I guess this is their Bollywood. I have always questioned them why they think
prayers. so. I believe if you know how to act, you can do whatever
Q. Between Mard and Pataakha, which character was hard to portray? you want to. In my head, there is no difference between
They are like chalk and cheese. Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota is very urban, television actor, film actor or theatre actor. For me, I am just
cool and quirky zone while this is a village girl. They both are very an actor. The medium doesn’t matter much. So, I guess this
different. Supri is vulnerable but has a lot of layers to her while Champa is thought has worked in my favor. In fact, my Mard Ko Dard
a boss. She does not give a damn about anything in life. She is extremely Nahi Hota director did not even know I had done television
confident. I have similar traits with both the characters. The way Supri before. He got to know when I signed the film. He did not
(Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota character) reacts to difficulties, I do that in real. feel the need to ask me as it does not define me.
With Champa, I guess my childhood fights with my brother came to use. I I will do whatever excites me. There is no stopping me.
used all my moves in the fight on screen. Q. Do you believe it is the right time for you to debut?
I think for me the difficult part of being Champa was to behave like an Definitely. We are in an era where the audience is smart.
elder one. I am the youngest in the family. I had to play elder one. So, They have been exposed to good content. Now, they would
I would go back home and note down things my brother did during my not pay Rs 300 or more for crap on the big screen. Even
childhood. Apart from that, we have done a lot of prep and lived the life of the attention span is so short that they would not want to
a village woman to get into the character. spend money on just the loyalty parameter. It does not
Q. What sort of brief was given to you about the film? matter if you are a star kid or not, your fate in the industry
We were never briefed. Instead, he would throw questions at us asking is in the audience’s hand.
us what we feel would have happened with the character. So, I had to

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