EXCLUSIVE! Mirzapur actor Rasika Dugal: ‘OTT opened up a space for newness’ | Not Just Bollywood

In an interview with Firstpost’s Lachmi Deb Roy for ‘Not Just Bollywood’, Rasika Dugal talks about cinema changing, her film Little Thomas showing at the Melbourne International Film Festival. She explains that around 2015 and 2016 when the streaming services had sort of started coming about, and there were lots of conversations about quote, unquote women-centric films, she wasn’t sure what we were heading for. But thankfully with the OTT boom newer realistic stories were shown and audiences were loving it. With most so called A-grade stars of Bollywood wanting to be a part of OTT, she doesn’t consider it to be a threat, but a space for healthy competition.

Edited excerpts from the interview:  

I’m a little curious, what is the story of Little Thomas about? 

Oh, well, very simply put, it’s the story of a family in Goa who runs a bakery. And it’s really a coming-of-age story for the child who desires a sibling and sort of the dynamics between this quarrelling couple and how they’re trying to navigate the ups and downs of their relationship while struggling to make ends meet.

Women’s roles are changing and the different layers of vulnerability that’s shown. They are no longer just ornaments. What do you have to say about this beautiful change? 

I think it’s a change that is very welcome and long overdue, and I am totally enjoying the benefits of this change. I think in 2015 and 2016 when the streaming services had sort of started coming about, and there were lots of conversations about quote, unquote ‘women centric films.’ At that time, I was sort of worried because I was like, I don’t know if this is just going to be an act of tokenism. And whether this is just going to be there to check a box. And, fortunately, I think in my experience, what I found was that it wasn’t that, and people were really sort of trying to experiment with newer stories and really pushing the boundaries and reimagining the way roles for women were written.

And I think that generally sort of, comes from, moving towards having more conversations about equality in society. So that’s a very welcome change, and I think there’s room for much, much more, but I think the attempt is in the correct direction. Sometimes I’ve also seen that the intention is there, but, the intention need to be right.

But, what finally comes on screen doesn’t have perfect politics because there’s a long gap between the written word and what you finally see on screen. But as long as the attempt is in the correct direction and as long as it ignites conversations, which are productive, I feel like it’s all good. I think that OTT has helped a lot. And not just actors, even directors, filmmakers, story writers, even the guys behind the camera or technical guys, they all have benefited with the coming of OTT.

So what do you have to say about this beautiful change by OTT? And then we’ll come to the politics behind women’s roles also. 

I think what OTT did was that it had opened up a space where, there was room for newness. And when you do that automatically, it becomes better, it becomes a democratic setup. It’s a healthier competitive space. So it’s not like there are 10 people who are ruling the roost, and they’re so comfortable and smug in their position that they don’t have to question what they are making or doing. I think that every month or every couple of months, there are new directors, new writers, new actors. So therefore, people who have been have here for a while also are kept on their toes.

So all of us have to constantly question and reimagine what we are doing, which I think is extremely important in any creative space. Because if you, sort of, feel like this is working and I’m only going to follow this, then you’re basically following a formula, which is what has been happening for a very long time. So I think that’s what the streaming space did, and it finally gave writing the importance that was required.

Even though there’s the good and bad here also, you know, there’s a lot of clutter in this space as well. There are lots of shows which come out which are very formulaic, often regressive. But there’s the good stuff also, and that will always happen in any space.

Does OTT function the same way as it functions in the theatrical releases when it comes to actresses’ pay and actors’ pay? 

I’m not sure, honestly. Because, of course, a pay parity does exist. We have heard enough stories about it. It’s been covered by the press also. And internationally also, there has been a lot of conversation around it. As far as the streaming space is concerned, I don’t know if it’s any better or worse because, the streaming space is really a place where, it really sorts of lends itself well to an ensemble cast, and I really don’t have information on how much other people are being paid. So it’s difficult for me to assess.

But anecdotally also, it’s very difficult to come up with proof of a pay disparity. Because it’s not information that you’re normally privy to. It’s a difficult one. I often wonder whether I’m being paid less than my male co-actors. But, honestly, I don’t have enough information to know that. But I would think that given that this is something which has been prevalent in the media, world over and in our country for a while. But honestly, I don’t have any way to prove that.

Cinema is changing, and there is no hero heroine concept. Everybody has an important role to play, take Mirzapur for instance. Every character is important, and every character is a hero in its own way. What is your view on this?

I’m totally enjoying this as an actor because, really, like I said, you know, the long form, which is the series format, really let lenses lend itself well to a true ensemble. Because there are different tracks which can be edged out in a script. And, I think the female part especially has benefited a lot from this because I wonder, for example, if Beena Tripathi at the party was a character in a film, would she have been edited out? And so this is really a format which lends itself to a true ensemble and as an actor, that’s a complete delight.

This role that you have played in  Mirzapur, there are different layers to it. Sometimes she’s nice. Sometimes she’s not too nice. And she still understands family politics. So what do you have to say going back to the layer, the vulnerability that you are now able to portray effortlessly?

Of course, as an actor, if these things are not written in a script, it’s very hard to perform that. So, I’m always looking for roles which are layered. Basically, looking for roles which are well written because if it’s well written, then it will be layered. And it sort of communicates to you as an actor the intention of the director and the writer. So it’s very interesting to have the opportunity to explore different shades to one character.

And I guess when you were talking about Bina Tripathi when you were talking about the different shades, and she’s been completely a delight to play. I think it’s also a character which is very different from me and from all the other roles that I was being offered at the time that I was offered that one.

What do you say about these Bollywood people, the mainstream Bollywood people, mainstream, so called ‘A grade’ actors coming into OTT now? Is it a threat?

I don’t think it’s a threat at all. In fact, it’s a welcome thing because I feel like any healthy competitive space should have room for everyone. And I think the streaming services have that, and that’s good.

So once upon a time, some actors did look down on the digital platform. Many people just said no, we are not going to come to OTT ever. But now everybody is on OTT except for a few. What do you have to say on this?

I think every actor has their own creative journey. And if you seek something at one point in your journey, you have the right to experiment with it even if you didn’t want to do it earlier. So I think that’s all fair to each of us. You know? And, most of the people I have interacted with in the film industry have always been very, very sort of encouraging about the kind of narratives that I have been a part of and always very appreciative of it. And I’ve been very encouraged by that, you know, whether they’re ‘A listers’ or not.

I’ve heard many celebrities talk about a show like  Delhi Crime very often and praise the show. So I think that everybody should have an opportunity to do what they want to at any point in their career and experiment as an artist and actor. That’s what creative spaces are supposed to be like.

When is Little Thomas releasing in India? 

I don’t know when it’s releasing in India, but I’m very excited that it’s premiering at the Melbourne Film Festival. It’s a festival that I’ve been wanting to go to for a very long time. But there were other opportunities earlier, but, unfortunately, I couldn’t make it on those occasions. And I’m always excited when a piece of work is watched by an audience at film festivals because they’re a very discerning audience. And they are people who watched cinema a lot and also very passionate. So they watch your work with so much passion that it really seems good.

Lachmi Deb Roy is the entertainment editor of Firtspost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes huge interest in world cinema. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until its a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too. see more