Chak De! India star Sagarika Ghatge is back on the silver screen after a two-year gap. This time she will be seen sharing the screen with actors Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi for her forthcoming movie Irada. She speaks to Riya Sharma
Who doesn’t remember independent and focussed Preeti Sabharwal from Chak De! India, the girl who chose to create a niche for herself by winning the world championship with her team in the movie than opting a tag of a famous cricketer’s wife. Taking inspiration from her previous role, Sagarika Ghatge hopes to make her comeback, worth the wait with her strong character in forthcoming movie, Irada.
Talking about her break of two years, Ghatge informs us that she was waiting for the right scripts and she wanted to take a break for her personal life. “We all have that time in our lives where we want to suspend from the professional life and at that time, your personal space takes over. For me, this was happening in these two years and also I was reading scripts but nothing good came my way,” tells the actress who was last seen in Marathi film, Premachi Goshta.
In her forthcoming movie, Irada, she would be seen portraying the role of a strong and independent girl who stands by what she believes. The movie which is slated to roll in December will also have Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi as the leading starcast. “When Nishant Tripathi (director of the film) narrated the script, I enjoyed it thoroughly as an audience. It was like a story being told, it gripped my attention and I said yes,” explained Ghatge.
She adds, “Though I haven’t started shooting with them, but the star cast was also one of the reasons I decided to do the film. It would be learning experience for me to be able to share the screen with such great actors.”
The movie is driven by hard core drama. It unfolds the real meaning of drama and her character adds to the story through her chirpy and bold personality. “I can't comment more on the movie but my character fights for she considers is right. She gets to see the real side of people who stand by her during difficult times. The challenges and problems that a woman has to face for standing by what she believes in, is the real essence of the character,” says she.
With another untitled movie, lined up in October, Ghatge very excitingly tells us that it is also a woman centric movie. “The movie is based on a woman writer and her perspective on things around her. The movie, directed by Shil Aditya Moulik, gives a woman take the center stage and her approach towards the life is focussed upon.
When we asked her if there is any similarity between the characters that she is essaying and her real self, she replied, “I think I stand somewhere in-between these two characters, while my character in Chak De was spontaneous and free spirited, but with time I have become much more emotional and calm. Earlier, I had that, ‘go and get attitude’ and I was kind of lost, but now I am more at peace with myself.”
She adds, “In Irada, the girl is speaking up what believes is right. Even if people try to stop her, she will fight and do what she thinks is required. From these two characters, I have learnt that life is about believing in yourself and leaving the rest on your destiny.”
Apart from working in Bollywood, the actress has also worked in a Marathi film and now she is going to essay a role of a Punjabi girl in Pankaj Batra's forthcoming film, Dildariyaan. “When I did the Marathi film, people appreciated me and at the end of the day, it is cinema that is more important. language should not be the barrier while choosing a role.”
“The role that I am playing in this movie is of a bubbly, full of life, typical Punjabi girl. She is loud but there is a sense of innocence in her and it is actually the opposite of what I am in my real life. It was actually a challenge to take up this role, but that was the whole point. I have tried to do justice to my role and I was constantly reminded on the set ‘not to be myself’.
The actress shares that she had a gala time while working on the project. “I am working opposite Jassi Gill and though it was bit difficult to get the Punjabi accent but that is my job. When you sign up for something, you have to give your best shot,” shares Ghatge.
Sharing one of the interesting cultural overlaps she had to face during her shoot, she says “We shot in Bhatinda in a small pind (village) and suddenly I would lose track of my character and my director would remind me, ‘aap toh Mumbai chale gae’(you have gone back to Mumbai). Then I would remind myself that I am playing a Punjabi girl but it was a great team to work with,” laughs Ghatge.