‘All Your Money Goes In Keeping Up This Lifestyle’

‘When
there
is
a
money
crunch
in
the
industry,
actors
like
us
are
the
ones
who
face
budget
cuts.
Not
the
big
actors.’

Nikita
Dutta
gives
us
a
new
look
in
the
SonyLIV
show



The
Waking
of
a
Nation,
based
on
the
Jallianwala
Bagh
massacre.

It’s
the
first
time
she’s
not
wearing
make-up
on
camera.

The
actor,
who’s
been
entertaining
us
for
10
years
now,
tells

Patcy
N/Rediff.com,
“When
we
started
the
prep,
for
me,
the
battle
was
to
first
get
comfortable
with
the
way
I
was
looking.
I
am
not
used
to
not
having
eyebrows
done
or
no
make-up,
I
had
to
make
peace
with
all
that.”

How
difficult
was
it
for
you
to
get
into
a
character
from
the
pre-Independence
era?

It
was
difficult.
When
we
talk
about
the
’70s
or
’60s,
we
have
grandparents
and
parents
who
have
information
and
can
help
us.

But
we
are
talking
about
a
time
more
than
100
years
ago,
so
it
was
difficult
to
get
information.

Your
only
references
are
the
reading
material
available
in
the
public
domain
and
sometimes,
videos
which
are
unclear.

The
research
team,
of
course,
makes
the
job
easier
for
you.

But
you
have
to
remember
that
people’s
emotions
do
not
change.

You
have
such
a
glamorous
image.
Did
you
feel
insecure
seeing
yourself
in
a
de-glam
avatar
on
the
show?

I
wouldn’t
say
I
was
insecure.

Everybody
who
steps
out
are
always
done
up;
you
rarely
see
people
who
have
stepped
out
organically.

You
can
be
doing
an
intense
workout
in
the
gym
but
still
when
you
come
out,
you
will
look
fresh.
This
is
the
picture
perfect
world
we
live
in.

On
the
first
day,
Ram
(Madhvani,
Director)
sir
would
not
let
me
put
any
make-up
on.

From
a
very
young
age,
we
women
start
getting
our
eyebrows
done,
get
manicures,
facials…

I
started
from
the
age
of
16-17.

I
might
not
put
make-up
every
day
but
I
will
want
to
get
my
eyebrows
done.

When
he
told
me
no
vanity,
I
instantly
said
yes.
I
assumed
it
would
be
easier.

When
we
started
the
prep,
for
me,
the
battle
was
to
first
get
comfortable
with
the
way
I
was
looking.

My
hair
is
naturally
dark
brown
with
highlights.

Here,
we
coloured
my
hair
jet
black.
I
am
not
used
to
not
having
eyebrows
done
or
no
make-up,
I
had
to
make
peace
with
all
that.

When
we
started
shooting,
I
became
freer
and
more
comfortable
in
front
of
the
camera.

If
I
touched
my
face
in
the
middle
of
the
shot,
I
didn’t
have
to
worry
that
the
make-up
would
smudge.

Ram
sir
sticks
to
authenticity,
and
he
would
say,
‘Sweat
is
gold,
dirt
is
gold.
We
do
not
want
to
remove
it.’

I
don’t
remember
looking
at
the
mirror
in
the
middle
of
a
shot.

How
was
it
working
with
a
National
Award-winning
director
like
Ram
Madhvani?
What
is
his
process
of
working?

There
have
been
so
many
firsts
that
I
have
experienced
while
filming
for
this.

It’s
the
first
time
I
have
done
so
many
workshops.

It’s
the
first
time
we
have
been
well
informed
about
every
detail
about
the
show.

Generally
what
happens
is,
whatever
is
happening
on
the
back-end,
it’s
a
secret
from
the
actors.

On
top
of
that,
actors
are
very
selfish;
they
only
care
about
their
characters.

This
is
the
first
time
we
have
been
made
to
sit
in
pre-production
meetings
and
explained
how
everything
will
go.

We
were
told
about
every
head
of
department
and
their
process
of
working,
every
character,
the
entire
script…

I
have
never
seen
any
production
house
work
with
this
kind
of
punctuality.

If
we
had
dedicated
1
pm
to
3
pm
for
a
particular
scene,
it
would
get
over
by
that
time.

He
has
a
system
of
shooting
360
degrees,
so
you
don’t
have
to
figure
out
where
the
camera
is.

Somebody
told
me
that
you
get
spoiled
once
you
work
with
Ram
sir,
and
that’s
right.

You
made
your
debut
in
2014
and
it’s
been
10
years.
How
do
you
see
your
journey?

It’s
been
eventful
and
a
great
learning
experience.

From
the
people
I
have
worked
with
or
the
projects
I
have
worked
on,
I
have
tried
to
push
my
boundaries.

I
am
always
competing
with
myself.

You
have
done
films
like

Gold,
Lust
Stories
and

Maska
but
nothing
has
really
worked
for
you.
Is
it
difficult
to
get
work
in
the
industry?

It
is
disappointing
when
you
have
worked
on
something
and
that
doesn’t
click
with
the
audience.

We
are
people
who
work
for
the
camera,
for
the
audience
and
want
them
to
like
what
we
are
creating.

If
that
doesn’t
resonate
with
them,
there
is
a
very
big
feeling
of
disappointment.

But
the
one
thing
the
industry
has
taught
me
is
to
be
patient
and
not
give
up.
That’s
why
I
have
managed
to
last
this
long.

I
had
to
figure
out
everything
myself
during
my
journey.

If
a
film
doesn’t
work,
what
is
your
next
step?

If
a
film
works,
what
is
your
next
step?

How
does
one
approach
people?

How
does
one
get
in
touch
with
people?

It
would
have
been
simpler
had
somebody
helped
me.

How
do
you
keep
yourself
level-headed
when
you
don’t
have
work?

You
have
to
figure
it
out.

This
place
has
made
me
patient
and
stronger.

You
have
days
when
you’re
really
busy
and
don’t
have
any
time
at
all,
and
then
you
have
a
phase
where
you
are
suddenly
so
free.

You
have
to
make
peace
with
the
uncertainty
of
this
profession.

Every
show,
every
film
has
its
own
fate.

What
is
in
my
control
is
to
put
myself
out
there
in
front
of
the
camera
and
do
my
best.

After
that,
it’s
not
in
my
control.

A
strong
support
does
help.

In
my
case,
I
have
a
family
that
really
backs
me.

You
are
from
a
naval
background.
How
did
you
decide
on
joining
a
beauty
pageant?

Yes,
my
father
was
in
the
Indian
Navy.
Defence
forces
are
known
to
have
beauty
pageants.

I
was
18
when
I
won
the
Navy
Queen.
The
next
year,
I
participated
in
Miss
India.

You
wanted
to
run
away
from
the
sets
of
your
first
television
show
because
it
was
too
much
for
you.

In
2015,
on
my
first
TV
show,
I
remember
we
had
such
long
working
hours.

I
used
to
be
an
anchor,
host
and
worked
as
a
VJ.

The
work,
timings
and
people
were
a
completely
different
set
up
back
then.

I
am
not
connected
to
television
for
the
last
seven
years
but
back
then,
there
was
a
mentality
that
if
you
are
playing
a
female
lead,
she
has
to
drive
the
show
and
be
in
every
scene.

I
jumped
into
television
without
knowing
what
I
was
getting
into.

I
remember
working
68
days
nonstop
without
a
single
day
off.

We
would
work
about
14-15
hours
a
day.

There
was
a
point
when
I
really
thought
of
running
away.

Is
it
expensive
to
maintain
a
star
life?

Of
course.
All
the
money
you
make
goes
in
keeping
up
this
lifestyle.

When
there
is
a
money
crunch
in
the
industry,
actors
like
us
are
the
ones
who
face
budget
cuts.
Not
the
big
actors.

I
feel
that
I
need
to
do
quality
work
and
a
lot
of
times,
I
have
not
cared
about
the
money.
Quality
has
been
my
priority.

It
becomes
difficult
when
you
don’t
have
a
godfather,
when
things
don’t
happen
for
you.

You
are
competing
against
people
who
have
an
immense
amount
of
money,
power
and
support.

You
have
to
figure
it
out
on
your
own.

You
want
to
be
seen
every
single
day
coming
out
of
the
gym,
wearing
fancy
clothes.

I
don’t
think
that
gets
you
work
but
I
guess
this
is
where
you
pick
your
battles.

Is
it
necessary
to
go
under
the
knife?
Have
you
tried
it?

I
think
I’ve
been
looking
the
same
all
these
years.

It’s
a
very
personal
choice,
how
you
look
and
feel.

I
wouldn’t
judge
anybody
because
at
the
end
of
the
day,
you
are
responsible
for
how
you
look
and
feel.

I’ve
done
a
show
which
didn’t
even
need
me
to
go
to
the
salon.

I’m
very
comfortable
with
the
way
I
look.

At
the
moment,
I
would
not
think
about
something
like
this
but
I
will
not
judge
anybody
who
goes
under
the
knife.

You
will
be
seen
next
in

Jewel
Thief
with
Saif
Ali
Khan
and
Jaideep
Alhawat.
Tell
us
about
that.

All
I
can
tell
you
is
that
it
is
complete.