Natasha Mago on ‘No Fathers in Kashmir’: It was a story that had to be told
18/04/2019
Natasha Mago had auditioned for filmmaker Ashvin Kumar when he was casting for his thriller-feature The Forest, back in 2012. The actress, who was born in Mumbai and brought up in London, may not have got that role, but she did get to be a part of his latest project No Fathers In Kashmir, which has won rave reviews from critics. The movie sees her playing Zainab, a half-widow and a mother to a teenage British-Kashmiri girl, Noor, with the latter retracing her roots in search of her father with Majid, a local Kashmiri boy.
This is Natasha’s debut in a film, although she is no stranger to the world of entertainment, having started with theatre in London, going on to host a number of shows on television, including Top Gear and The Great Indian Wedding, and also acting in commercials. The actress, who considers India her home, is looking forward to working on more projects here. Excerpts from a chat with her...
What appealed to you about No Fathers In Kashmir?
It was a story that had to be told. One hopes that when a movie like this gets released, it gives one a platform to talk about issues that are so relevant, like the issue of half widows. People, who haven’t spoken to me in years, called me, saying they were so moved after watching the film that even when the credits were rolling, they just sat there. They felt that not enough is being done about the situation in Kashmir.
There isn’t that level of empathy and understanding which should be there. That’s the point of making a movie like this. There’s so much we read and see in the news. It’s so politicised that it’s easy to forget about the human stories.
That’s where these movies come in. If they are able to move an audience, then it opens up conversations. So, I wanted to do the film.
Did you have to do a lot of research for your character, or did you go by Ashvin’s vision?
A bit of everything to be honest. I’m a staunch believer in research. It was a very quick turnaround between me being cast and the shooting. As an actor, I would have liked to go to Kashmir and speak with some of the half widows and talk to them about their experiences face-to-face, but I couldn’t because of the time constraints.
So I did as much research as I could watched Ashvin’s documentaries, read up news articles, watched shows.
My life is totally different so I couldn’t draw any comparisons, but as an actor, you have to find ways to connect. I am not a mother, but I have two amazing nieces, so in terms of my relationship with Noor, I used a lot of that. I also contacted my mentor in LA, acting coach Jean-Louis Rodrigue and did some Skype sessions with him.
You started with theatre in London, but you also did television and now a film. How has theatre helped you get comfortable in front of the camera?
I started doing theatre as a hobby while I was studying in London. We improvised a lot and when you learn to do that, it helps you react and think on the spot, so the reactions are genuine. Theatre is an important base to have because when you perform there, you get to play a character from start to finish. A film is such a different challenge because when you shoot, you could be shooting the last scene at the beginning. Everything is out of order. So they are different skills but theatre is such a great beginning, just in terms of understanding character development and motivation.
What’s next on the agenda?
I keep making plans but life has its own twists and turns (laughs). There is something but I can’t disclose it at the moment. Hopefully, I will be able to start my feature soon. A lot of people think it’s a documentary but it’s actually a feature I’m developing on wildlife trafficking and its link with international terrorism. I will be producing it and hopefully, acting in it as well. I have promised myself that I will spend concentrated time on it.
You are open to working in India?
Absolutely. Nowadays, specially with web series, the world of entertainment has become such a small place. As far as work goes, if it’s an interesting project, there is no reason why one should say no. I’m always open to new adventures!
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