‘I Have A Responsibility While Picking Roles’

‘It’s
important
for
me
now
to
choose
characters
that
fairly
represent
the
women
of
today.’

Samantha‘s
quietly
persuasive
presence
as
a
fiercely
protective
mother
and
a
closet
assassin
in
Raj-DK’s

Citadel
Honey
Bunny,
defines
the
emerging
New
Woman
in
Indian
cinema.

She
is
yet
to
emerge
fully.
But
by
jove,
Samantha
is
determined
to
pull
Her
out
kicking
dragging
and
screaming.

She
is
ready
to
wait
it
out.
But
she
won’t
play
the
decorative
doll.

“I
believe
that
I
have
a
certain
responsibility
while
picking
roles,”
Samantha
tells

Subhash
K
Jha.

I
know
you
say
no
to
helluva
lot
of
projects.
What
is
your
criteria
for
saying
yes
to
projects?

I
believe
that
I
have
a
certain
responsibility
while
picking
roles.

A
responsibility
that
means
that
I
need
to
play
characters
that
fairly
represent
women
in
society.

I
think
that
women
today
are
multi-taskers,
they’re
world
leaders,
they’re
change-makers
and
it’s
time
that
the
characters
that
we
play
on
screen
aren’t
defined
by
the
male
protagonist
of
the
film.

That
had
been
the
norm
for
as
long
as
we
can
remember?

Usually
our
characters
are
always
defined
by
the
male
protagonist
of
the
film
and
without
any
character-arc
or
life
experience
of
our
own.

So
it’s
important
for
me
now
to
choose
characters
that
fairly
represent
the
women
of
today.

There
aren’t
too
many
female
parts
that
fulfil
these
preconditions?

Although
now
that
would
mean
projects
that
I’m
a
part
of
are
far
apart,
very
far
apart,
and
I
wouldn’t
be
on
screen
too
often
but
I
think
that
whenever
I
do
get
that
opportunity
I
will
seize
it,
will
seize
the
opportunity
and
I
will
do
my
best
to
give
it
my
all.

What
next
from
you?

I’m
ready
for
the
next
challenge.

I
think
the
one
I’m
working
on
with
Raj
and
DK
next
is
also
something
very
very
different
from
what
I’ve
done
before
and
it
is
a
challenge
of
its
own.

So
I
am
giving
all
of
my
concentration
and
all
of
my
effort
to
this
role.

Feature
Presentation:
Ashish
Narsale/Rediff.com