Touted as the ‘Princess of Parallel cinema’, Tannishtha Chatterjee, known for her performance in 'Brick Lane' and in the award winning movie 'Shadows of Time', interacts with Expresso.
On her films being premiered in India
I am glad that Indian audiences have been able to watch these films. In fact I play very different roles in 'Brick Lane' and 'Shadows of Time' and the response for these has been incredible.
Adaptation of a novel in a movie
Both are different media of expression. We need to reinvent and re-interpret and keep the essence intact while converting a novel into a film. Also, for a novel, the canvas is bigger.
Indian and international assignments
Every individual is different and the cultural contexts are different. The challenge for an actor is to adapt to them.
Upcoming projects
I am doing a Hindi film called 'Dekh Circus' by the Director of Cingya — Mangesh Hadwale. 'Dekh Circus' is a political film and I play the central character in this movie. There are two American projects and one Australian project in the pipeline, as well.
On the movie 'Bhopal – A Prayer for Rain' and working with Martin Sheen
I cannot say how close to reality the film is, because I was not a victim of the tragedy. Working with Martin Sheen was great, I learned a lot. It was a very humbling experience. I play a very complex and sensitive role in this movie.
On Abhay Deol and Sathish Kaushik
Abhay is an affable person and very effortless in his acting. We both have similar acting styles and it was great working with him. Satish was fun, especially since I had worked with him earlier in 'Brick Lane'.
Singing for the opera Ingerland
Singing at the Opera House was out of the world. Royal Opera House, London has great acoustics. I am a trained Hindustani classical vocalist and I do play back singing whenever I get a good opportunity. In fact I have sung for almost all my movies.
The Princess of Parallel Cinema
Well, I don’t call myself the princess of parallel cinema. This is something that has just come upon me. According to me, there are really no distinct demarcations between parallel and commercial cinema. It varies according to the cultural context. Movies that strike a chord with a wider global audience get termed as commercial. There are however independent films and big ticket films and both have different spirits.
Inspirations
I get inspired by everything, from food to books to travelling to painting.
