Diana Penty talks to Sangeeta Yadav about her experience of working in lucknow Central and getting ready for her next big movie Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran
What drew you to lucknow CentralIJ
It was a story that got me intrigued. The story is inspired by a true event which director Randeep Tiwari read in the newspapers about a band formed by the inmates of the lucknow jail as a part of their reformation process. They became such a rage that they used to get special permission to perform outside the jail at public events and functions. It is a beautifully written script and the story is very heartwarming and soulful.
How difficult it was to play an NGO activist in lucknow CentralIJ
It was challenging as the character Gayatri Kashyap is a very neutral person at the same time very strong-minded and stubborn. She is the only woman character in the pre-dominantly male film who fights for the rights of the prisoners. Their sentence in itself is the punishment, but that should not debar them from the basic human rights like the right to information etc. While dealing with the jail authority and the inmates, she has to make sure that she is not taken for a ride. In Cocktail, I played a quiet, shy Mira and in Happy Bhag Jayegi, I was a loud Punjabi girl. This film gave me the opportunity to play something different again.
Is the character based on a real personIJ
Not really! The character is director Ranjit Tiwari's creation and he wanted it to be very real and relatable and that was the challenge for me. She has certain goals and she makes sure that she gets them and achieves them. She is very passionate and dedicated to her work. This is what I have imbibed in my life and try to do it through my performance.
Did you meet any real-life activist working for a similar causeIJ
I did speak to some real-life people who worked closely with inmates and their reformation. Nikhil Advani's wife Suparna who heads an NGO working closely with the children in conflict with the law. I met her and it helped me build my character. The film was an eye-opener for me. I realised the gravity of the situation and now understand the three main objectives of a prison — reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Reformation of the first-time offenders and petty criminals by making them realise that what they have done is wrong and prevent them from becoming a serial offender. Rehabilitation involves teaching them vocational courses and helping them get an education during their period of imprisonment so that once they get out of the jail, they can get a job as a source of earning. And, to reintegrate them back into the society and live a better life.
You also visited Yerwada Central Jail and lucknow Jail…
I have never been to the jail before and didn’t know what to feel about it until I visited these two jails and met up with the inmates. We were not allowed to interact with the inmates one to one, but we performed for them and the band, on whom the movie is based on, performed live for us. It was inspiring to see these people confined to the four walls of the jail yet being optimistic about life.
Coming from a non-acting background, was it difficult for you to get your first breakIJ
Before Cocktail, I didn’t have any acting background. I never planned to be an actor. It just happened suddenly. I was modelling and very happy with it. Suddenly, I got a call from Homi Adjania’s office for the auditions to launch a new face in Cocktail. I gave a couple of auditions and they instantly locked me in Mira’s role. I hardly had any chance to think about it. They only made up my mind. It was a great opportunity. They sent me to the New York Film Academy to undergo a one-month acting course and did multiple workshops with theatre artistes, dance choreographers, etc. They made sure that I had all the help along the way. I couldn't have asked for anything better. At no point during that time did they make me feel that I was new and an outsider.
Why did it take you four years after Cocktail to sign your next project Happy Bhag JayegiIJ
The long break was unplanned. Cocktail happened overnight and I couldn’t take time off to sink into a new career path. The limelight intimidated me. I was not in a hurry at that point to sign any film. I took an off for a while and travelled. On my return, I started reading scripts again. After two years, I signed my second film Happy Bhag Jayegi. Happy was so different from the real me so it was great to play someone like her for my second film. It was completely challenging. But I am not planning to take any more long gaps.
Tell us about Parmanu: The Story Of PokhranIJ
It is set to release on December 8. The story is based on a true event of the nuclear bomb test explosions held in India during 1998. It is important for us to tell people across the countries about how this event changed the history of our country and some interesting facts will be revealed in this. Directed by Abhishek Sharma, this movie is well researched and interesting.