The Actresses Roundtable 2018 with Rajeev Masand

Introduction-

In 2018, the Bollywood enjoyed the change in paradigm of new content and artists being
comfortable to come out of there zone and explore. On the other hand, it also led to
controversies about changing the way of filmmaking and its so called “basic ethics”.
The shift was necessary to uplift the kind of content that Bollywood had never seen before.
Audience role was quite important in accepting the change and supporting it. The year was a
compilation of commercial movies, great story tellers and one man show.
Some outstanding movies from 2018 included 2.0, Zero, Padmavat, Thugs of Hindustan,
Sanju which had a great budget and cast while on the alternative side we saw movies like
Padman, Soorma, Gold, Raazi, Parmanu, Mulk, Sui Dhaga which were completely dependent
on the storyline and delivery.
Apart from the above-mentioned movies we also saw certain unique filmmaking or story
telling the year. Woman centred movies got attention with Hichki, Pari, Raazi, Mulk,
Andhadun and many more. The audience not only accepted these movies but celebrated
them. This change of woman carrying the whole film by herself nailing it became common
the whole year. The best part of it was the “audience acceptance”.

About-

Rajeev Masand who is well known for his talks and shows held a round table between our
very well known six female artists.
 Tabassum Hashmi (Tabu)
 Rani Mukerji
 Anushka Sharma
 Deepika Padukone
 Alia Bhatt
 Taapsee Pannu
All these artists who are great actors, beautiful story tellers and humble beings. 2018 was a
great year for everyone above in terms of professionalism and growth. We saw each one of
them delivering great stories and characters on screen the year.
The Interview-

Rajeev Masand begins the interview on quite interesting note putting forward the question
about “What did the actress take away from the year 2018?”. For which artist had their own
views about getting out the best out of the movies they acted the year.
Alia Bhatt began talking her experience about Raazi the patriarchal movie where she played
the lead. A movie no one expected to be a box office hit due to it being low budget and a
common real life inspired movie. Bollywood audience before was specific. The audience
expects drama with great cast as always. While Raazi had a simple story of a woman who
breaks the norm of woman just being a housewife and turns to be a secret agent. She also
quotes movies like Stree, Hichki, Andhadun where the content was king and not the cast or
budget.
After Alia Anushka Sharma supports her with her thoughts about content being the king and
how important story is, and how it can change film in many ways. She also talks about her
experience while doing NH10 and how it shaped her as an actor. She opens about her
thoughts how a certain movie is just segregated as a “sleeper hit” (underdog). Putting light
on how important it is to take judgements but not get affected by them. Learning from the
judgements and forgetting the rest makes easier to grow as an artist she discusses and
finishes off.
Deepika talks about two important aspects that she learned throughout the year,
“uncertainty and authenticity”. She talks about her role from movie Padmvamat being so
influential not only to her as an actor but even as a person. Later part she explains how
authenticity has become a major part of filmmaking in recent times. Audience have changed
from drama to content.
Rani Mukerji starts off sharing her experience about being a mother and an artist at the
same time. Before the shooting of movie Hichki started off she was blessed with a boy child
and took off for two years after her iconic role in movie Mardani. After getting back to work
she had insecurities of balancing her being a mother and an artist. She went through the
“questioning yourself” phase where she had to realise again that she belonged in the
industry. She shares the incident of her being irritated and losing it all in her car. But
continuing she explains how once after she was able to deliver the scene in a single take it
made her realise that she did belong here and how she again fell love with her profession.
She also shares her view on how Hichki becoming a box office hit was a relief.
Tabu who showed how versatile of an actress she is from Andhadun, explains how important
it was to break herself to renew this new witty, evil, immoral character she was playing. She
then tells us how being driven from work can be crazy at times, but an artist must enjoy it.
As the drive helps an individual grow and learn. She talks also talks about the “convection
instinct” referring to her director Ram and his work.
Taapsee on the other hand shows her happiness of how the audience is now accepting her
and enjoying her screen presence, which is a great thing for any artist. She talks about
coming out of the comfort zone letting yourself feel uncomfortable in the process of self-
growth. She also puts her view on how important it is to choose something uncomfortable
or out the way.

After everyone puts forward their takings from the year Rajeev throws another question
about "How important it is to relate to the character we play in the movie?”
Everyone has their own perception about the question. Some say it is very important while
some say it doesn't matter. Taapsee talks about how she even manages to perform a role
well with just one thread of relationship between her and the character she plays. While
Rani on the other shares how an artist must go against his grain for the role to fit and get
appreciated by the audience. Taapsee then congratulates for her success in Hichki where
Rani acts as a teacher suffering from down syndrome and tackling everyday challenges.
Anushka gets in the conversation talking about her experiences from “Sui Dhaga and Pari”.
Anushka also shares about how an artist’s role is to bring the character to life and make it
more real or humane. Deepika continues how she was able to relate to characters like Naina
from “Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani” and how difficult it was for her to relate the character
“Padmavat”.
Everyone praises Tabu for her accomplishments for Andhadun and her versatility she has
carried throughout her career. She talks about playing a negative role with such an impact
on the film played by her. She opens about how an actor must mend oneself to deliver the
story imagined by the filmmaker and at the same time make it interesting to the audience.
She continues with mentioning how “difficult and fun” it was to deliver the character.

After the discussion Rajeev asks the table about “how important it is like the character you
play?”
Everyone replies from there own experiences about the question. Some of them state that
its not important to relate while some mention it helps in improvising the role. Some have
their perception that it doesn’t matter. The table also starts sharing their view on layering
the characters and uplifting them in the films. They also talk about playing negative roles as
woman. They put a note how the audience preferred drama from Bollywood in the
beginning days and how the recent perception is changing and evolving towards content.
They give various examples to support the discussion.
Rajeev continues with the question “any character they like they played?”

Taapsee begins with naming the character she played “Ruby”, Rani continues naming the
character she played in “Who killed Jessica” as Meera. Alia continues with naming Deepikas
role from “Yeh Jawani Hai Dewani” as her favourite character. Anushka mentions one
character she never liked which was played by her in “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” Alizeh. Tabu who
never spoke the whole interview replies with a pun that every character of hers in the
movies dies or either ends in a bad situation. They all enjoy naming the character while
Deepika doesn’t give a character.

Rajeev then moves to his next question about how each one of them reacts on audience
review. Specifically mentioning Deepika in Padmvat.

In reply Deepika talks about how the movie was just made for showing the past events and
not to hurt anybody’s feelings. Rajeev also asks how the critic was negative about the Johar
scene being so glamorous while the event was supposed to be sad. Deepika replies it’s the
choice of filmmaker to show case an event and depict it in his own way. The debate heats up
and takes turns but then Deepika answers it very diplomatically on how the whole motive is
to just make the scene look good and catchy so the viewer can enjoy it to the fullest.

Rajeev asks about the whole me too moment going around the globe and its effects on
Bollywood.

Rajeev quotes Karan Johar- “I knew some of the incidents but didn’t act” on me too
moment. This discussion goes on for a longer period with every artist giving their view on it.
Rani talks about how an individual should always be prepared to act accordingly the
situation and be ready to face any problems in life. She categories the individuals into
powerful and weak. She also questions the upbringing of the children from home to school.
She initiates to start martial arts classes in school to prepare the female category physically
to fight against wrong.
While on the other hand Alia, Anushka and Deepika believe that instead of making someone
ready for fighting against it we should create an environment where there is no wrong
happening around. Rajeev quotes some more statements that were in related to me too
moment by actress like Nicole Kidman and more to which the table reacts in different ways.
Rajeev then moves on to the next question about what one advice each on them would
give to the young struggling artists in the industry.

The table replies in a unique way with different and unexpected advice. Anushka beginning
the discussion talks about how difficult is for her even now to advice someone when she is
also in the path of learning. She also shares how she just stuck to her moral values in
choosing the kind of work she wanted to deliver on screen with mentioning how lucky she
has been receiving offers for movies that she worked for. Then she also puts light on the fact
that everyone cannot be that lucky to find roles that easy. Alia and Taapsee talk about how
Raazi and Mulk changed their perception about patriarchy and love towards the citizens of
the country. Alia mentioned how Raazi helped her know that how challenging is the life of a
soldier in everyday situation too which we as a normal citizen while Taapsee shares her view
on Mulk and how desperately she wanted to act in it. She also mentions how proud she feels
after being a part of movies like these.

Rajeev then puts in how Jennifer Lawerance after her Oscar winning performance states
how the audience might find her unlikable and fear about it.

Alia begins talking about how her father told her that artists usually get attracted to the
“once more disease”. What she meant was that once the artist is comfortable with praises it
becomes a habit for the individual. The table then talks about how important it is to leave
the past and move on to grow bigger and better.

Rajeev then finishes of the segment by asking if they have taken things from the set and
who were their first crush back in time.

Tabu again sarcastically replies how she took the thermos from sets of Haider and Deepika
continues to share about her taking one costume from every movie. Taapsee talks about the
kit bag she took from sets of Soorma continued by Anushka who doesn’t get connected to
them much.
Finally, to end the segment they name there first crushes. Taapsee names Hrikith Roshan,
Tabu names Tom Cruise, Anushka specifies how she liked Ryan Gosling and other woman
actress from Bollywood, Alia shying off mentions Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika talks about how
she used to give good night kisses to the poster put up in her bedroom of Leo De Caprio and
Rani mentions Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla.

Rajeev ends the segment by congratulating all of them for their success in the year and
wishes them luck for future.