The best part about National Award-winning actor-director Konkona Sensharma is her candour—she doesn’t care about creating an impression except on screen. Konkona is winning hearts across the globe with her upcoming film, The Rapist, that is currently doing festival rounds. Recently screened at the Kolkata International Film festival, this film directed by Aparna Sen and produced by Applause Entertainment and Quest Films, sees Konkona as one of the protagonists.
The actor, whose performances in recent releases such as Geeli Pucchi and Mumbai Diaries 26/11 left us spellbound, will be seen in some fascinating projects such as Abhishek Chaubey’s dark comedy series, Soup; and Aasman Bharadwaj’s debut caper thriller Kuttey. We chat with Konkana about The Rapist, her growth as an actress, among other things. Excerpts...
How is it working with your mother, Aparna Sen?
It is wonderful and we have become comfortable and familiar with each other and there is a lot of mutual trust and respect. We know each other’s individual styles and since I have also directed a feature film and a short, I have become more sympathetic toward a director’s vision and don’t view a movie only from an actor’s point of view. My mother is a very particular filmmaker and knows exactly what she wants but at the same time, is open to suggestions and incorporates them during the preparation phase if they align with the vision of her film.
Tell us how you became a part of The Rapist?
I think I am very lucky to have a mother who is constantly thinking of such diverse, complex, and difficult subject matter in different genres. When she comes up with an unusual and interesting subject, she shares that with her close circle, and even though we are in different cities, I am often a part of that. For The Rapist, too, I heard the idea and got involved pretty early on and from the very start, I was worried about how was she going to execute the film. But as we progressed, I realised that it was not a film that was going to tell you what to think or how to think and neither would it come up with a solution in that sense. Rape is something that affects society on a daily basis and there is no one solution to it and it is something which affects all of us. So, this film raises pertinent questions around it and when you watch it, you will
get an idea of what it wants to say.
Do you follow any particular acting method?
I don’t have any one particular method, since one has to adapt according to the style of the director. Some directors like to give you freedom and want you to come up with your ideas while others have fixed ideas from the very onset. Some do workshops, some do reading sessions, or both. There are different ways to approach acting and no one right way.
A lesson you’ve picked up in your career, so far?
That my performance is not just my own, it’s an amalgamation of ideas of the writer, director, cinematographer, editor and all these factors help an actor to perform. So, it is very important to be able to collaborate, in fact, our entire life is a series of collaborations. Of course, you come with your individual ideas, but you have to come together to create something and that is true of a society too which wants to progress. You can’t do it alone; you have to get the cooperation of others.
‘The Rapist’ is still on the film festival circuit
The sartorial side of Konkona Sensharma:
I actually don’t follow trends; I like to wear what appeals to me aesthetically and fits my body. I am very fond of cotton and love Indian handicrafts, handlooms, and weaves from different states be it Kalamkari, Ikat, or sanganeri work. I am a huge fan of Indian textiles, a love I inherited from my mother, but I like to mix it up with modern designs.