‘We Love Our Country And Want To Save It’

‘I
have
been
through
a
lot
of
auditions
and
the
first
thing
we
are
told
is
that
there
will
be
intimate
scenes
and
we
have
to
be
okay
with
it.’
‘Luckily,
there
is
no
bold
content
in

Commander
Karan
Saxena.’

Hruta
Durgule
is
currently
winning
hearts
in
her
new
OTT
series

Commander
Karan
Saxena,
co-starring
Gurmeet
Choudhary
and
Iqbal
Khan.

The
show
tells
a
gripping
story
of
a
RA&W
agent,
who
fight
all
odds
and
a
high
stake
political
mystery
to
safeguard
the
nation.

“When
they
were
casting
for
ACP
Rachna
Mhatre,
they
wanted
to
cast
someone
from
the
Marathi
industry,”
Hruta
tells



Rediff.com
Contributor

Sameena
Razzaq
.
“That
was
really
nice.
It
is
rare
for
a
primary
character
to
be
a
regional
actor.
Times
have
changed
and
it’s
definitely
a
better
time
to
work.”

Your
character
ACP
Rachna
Mhatre
looks
larger
than
life
in
the
series.

It’s
not
everyday
that
you
get
to
enact
a
character
that
is
an
author-backed,
female
protagonist
with
emotional
scenes.
Also,
it’s
a
very
massy
show,
so
everybody
can
watch
it.

It
has
that
universal
feeling
that
we
all
love
our
country
and
want
to
save
it.

We
are
very
patriotic,
and
that
is
the
biggest
plus
point
of
the
show.
We
know
it
will
attract
the
audience.

I
like
the
pace
of
the
show,
it’s
not
boring.
Right
now,
the
attention
span
of
people
has
reduced,
so
we
need
content
like
this.

The
characters
you
and
Gurmeet
Choudhary
play
are
physically
very
demanding.
Did
you
undergo
any
special
training?

I
would
like
to
mention
Jatin
sir
(Director
Jatin
Wagle)
because
he
has
done
a
lot
of
series
like
this.
He
is
so
well
versed
with
the
army
and
the
RA&W
world.

The
nuances
like
how
an
officer
salutes
or
walks,
what
is
the
protocol,
he
taught
us
almost
everything.

Besides,
I
have
an
DCP
and
ACP
at
home,
so
I
have
seen
right
from
childhood.
But
I
never
thought
I
would
portray
such
a
character. 

A
lot
of
OTT
shows
have
bold
content.
How
comfortable
will
you
be
filming
such
scenes?

I
have
been
through
a
lot
of
auditions
and
the
first
thing
we
are
told
is
that
there
will
be
intimate
scenes
and
we
have
to
be
okay
with
it.

Luckily,
there
is
no
bold
content
in

Commander
Karan
Saxena.
This
show
is
for
everybody.

The
Hindi
audience
has
warmed
up
to
regional
cinema
and
its
actors
in
a
big
way.
Do
you
think
this
is
the
right
time
for
you
to
experiment
and
consolidate
yourself
on
a
bigger
platform?

It’s
definitely
a
good
place
to
work
now
because
of
OTT
and
everything.

There
are
a
lot
of
opportunities
but
there’s
a
lot
of
competition
too.

After
working
in
the
Marathi
industry
for
a
long
time,
I
considered
that
as
a
home
ground.

Now,
I
want
to
explore
and
get
out
of
my
comfort
zone.

So
when
they
were
casting
for
ACP
Rachna
Mhatre,
they
wanted
to
cast
someone
from
the
Marathi
industry.
That
was
really
nice.

Usually,
it
is
rare
for
a
primary
character
to
be
a
regional
actor.
Times
have
changed
and
it’s
definitely
a
better
time
to
work.

Actors
like
me
feel
that
we
should
get
at
least
one
opportunity
to
prove
ourselves.

Did
you
have
to
give
up
any
food
for
the
show?

Two-three
years
ago,
I
was
borderline
PCOD
(Polycystic
Ovarian
Disease)
and
thyroid.
I
had
gained
10
kilos
then.

I
believe
in
a
balanced
diet.

Whenever
I
have
tried
extremes,
they
have
not
worked
for
me,
be
it
in
my
lifestyle,
diet,
exercise
or
even
my
personal
growth.

Whatever
Gurmeet
sir
is
doing
is
really
commendable.
That
is
a
different
level
of
commitment
and
discipline.

I
am
also
disciplined
but
I
can
never
do
something
like
that.

When
I
was
training
for
my
first
film,
where
I
played
a
physically
challenged
girl
without
hands,
I
had
to
work
on
my
flexibility
with
my
legs.
I
was
in
a
proper
three-month
diet
where
I
was
allowed
to
eat
only
this
much
and
work
out
in
a
particular
way.

I
could
do
that
then
but
I
need
something
sustainable.

And
I
can’t
stay
without
pizza!