‘I’ve worked with more than 13 women directors by now’: Sayani

14/09/2019

Sayani Gupta has been making rapid strides by picking unique characters on web series as well as films.
She was last seen on the big screen in the social drama Article 15 and now in ZEE5’s movie Posham Pa, she essays the role of one of the serial killers who were the first women to be given a death penalty by the Supreme Court. The actress talks about her role and the prep that went into it.
You almost look unrecognisable in the film. How did you settle on the look?
Suman (Mukhopadhyay) da had a few references in mind and he sent me a few photos. I was kicked about it. I told him I would work out my dates if he got this look right. Prashant Doiphode is a fantastic prosthetic guy. He and his team put the look together and it would take four hours to get into it. I had a hair and make-up team Sahitya and Dipali. So around nine people came together to make this look happen every morning.
You’ve been known to pick characters that interest you. What made you play a serial killer in Posham Pa?
Honestly, I’ve been wanting to work with the director. For some reason or the other, it was not happening. Finally, when he called me for Posham Pa, he told me it was about a serial killer and it’s also the story of a mother and her two daughters. Immediately, I thought it was exciting. Then he sent me the looks because I play a 17-year-old, a 22-year-old and a 28-year-old. I read the script and knew it was something I had never done before and won’t come my way every day. That’s when I knew I had to do it.
Posham Pa has an all-female leading cast. Another web-series you’ve done has four women in the leading role. Is this a conscious decision?
It’s not a conscious decision at all, but I have worked with a lot of women directors too. I’ve worked with over 13 women directors now. Even Posham Pa is written by a woman so it’s a perspective which I empathise with more. I don’t think it’s a conscious decision but I think I am more attracted to female characters that are more fleshed out.
Is there any difference from being on other sets?
So, there’s a difference, I think. Women are more meticulous and methodical. But on the other hand, I feel if you go on a male-dominated set, which is mostly any other set, you don’t ask how it was to be on a male-dominated set. So, it’s a little unfair.
Posham Pa is based on true incidents. Had you heard about your character before you got the movie?
Yeah, Suman da had told me about them before sending the script. When I read the story I was happy to know that Suman da had the same approach to the characters. So, even though I didn’t read up on them, I grew up watching crime thrillers and criminal psychology. I’ve always been interested in why do people behave in certain ways which are crazy from a normal point of view.
You had mentioned that even these characters need to be represented in movies…
Of course, every kind of person, even criminals need to be represented in our films. And I’m hoping this is the right kind of representation. It’s more about their human side and the world they belong to, and the reasons they become who they are. The writer, Nimisha, had a lot of first-hand experience. She met the people and families close to the criminals. I made her sit in my vanity van while the make-up was going on and found out about all her research.
The movie looks very dark and intense. Did that mood remain on set as well?
Sometimes it was really gloomy because we were shooting in a children’s rehab centre. It was even raining on that day. So, it was eerie. Ravi, the DOP was, a friend from FTII, even Suman da, Ragini Khanna and Mahie Gill, we bonded well and cracked jokes. We were quite comfortable with each other.

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