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| Barkha as Kesar in Ram Leela |
Barkha Bisht Sengupta can’t stop praising dewar Ranveer Singh. “He is so charming and warm,” she gushes. Barkha plays Kesar Bhabhi to the hunk in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela. “I play a very dear Bhabhi to Ranveer’s Ram,” says Indraneil Sengupta’s wife while talking Bolly-Tolly with t2.
So, what feedback is Kesar getting for Ram Leela?
You know, the length of the role is not too big. But surprisingly I have been getting great reviews. Everyone in Bombay and Calcutta have been messaging me or tweeting that I have done an excellent job and that I’ve looked good (laughs).
What was Indraneil’s reaction when he watched Ram Leela?
Honestly, Neil said the same thing without any bias. He said ‘I am so glad to see you on the big screen and in such a big film’. I have scenes with Ranveer and Supriya Pathakji and he said ‘you have kind of held on with such big actors’. So he thought I did a really good job. He is really happy with my performance but of course he believes there’s always scope to do better. Since it is my first time in Bollywood he thought I did a really good job.
And were you smitten by Ranveer Singh?
Oh god! Not really, but I like him as an actor, he is one of the most promising newcomers that the country has today. It’s just that when I joined the film he built such a good rapport with me that I am extremely fond of him as a person. He never made me feel that I am working with Ranveer Singh. In between shots he would sit and talk to me about my life and tell me a little about his life so we would talk like any co-stars on the sets..... I think he is a very charming person. Yes, he is extremely warm. He would hug me whenever he would feel that I was not really on track. First day he hugged me and said ‘you are doing great’. Whenever we meet he gives me a very warm hug. That’s a great attribute for a star, I think.
And is Sanjay Leela Bhansali a hard taskmaster?
You know, in every film there are some scenes that you know will take a lot of time, because they are heavy and emotionally challenging scenes, and there are scenes that are light. But with Sanjay sir there was not a single scene that you could take lightly! Even if it was a normal conversation between two people he would want you to give 150 per cent and if it was a heavy scene he would want you to give 200 per cent. So there was no day when it was easy, honestly. Because he is so particular, he is such a perfectionist that when it comes to performance there was no day when I would just breathe and say okay it’s an easy day for me. I am glad because the final result really made me happy.
My first day-first scene was an emotional scene with Ranveer. I was really scared though I was just giving cues. Even then Sanjay sir was showing me what to do, how to say my lines…. I was freaking out thinking now I am behind the camera and if he is teaching me so much what will I do in front of the camera?
For my first scene I gave a lot of retakes, about 25 retakes! And I sulked. Seeing me a little upset Ranveer came to me and I told him I am really scared and I think I have done really bad and that’s why Sanjay sir had to take 25 retakes. And he told me ‘you know what, I gave 35 retakes!’ I was like, really? And he said ‘yeah that’s how Sanjay sir is, so don’t be nervous and if you ask me I’ve worked with a lot of newcomers but I thought you are a really good actor, you are a smart actor, you did your job really well’.
When I finished the first day of shoot, Sanjay sir hugged me and said ‘you did very well’. Everyone said that Sanjay sir doesn’t really hug everyone unless he really likes their performance so the first day ended on a very good note.
Indraneil played Amitabh Bachchan’s son in Satyagraha; you’ve done a film with Bhansali, so are you both targeting Bollywood?
As far as I am concerned, I have never really looked at moving into Bollywood. I have always been a TV person. I am doing television for years now. A lot of TV actors think it’s the next step. I have never done that, if I had to do it I would have done it when I was much younger. I can’t think of it now. Ram Leela just happened and when they briefed me about the character I liked it. I just want to act, honestly, be it television, Bollywood, Tollywood, wherever I get good work I’d love to work.
Same with Indraneil, he is not a very television person, he loves doing films because creatively it’s more satisfying for him. He is doing so much work in Tollywood right now. He is just happy with the films that he is doing. So it’s not like now I will only do Bollywood. In the next couple of days I start shooting for Action, a Bengali film with T. Sarkar Productions where I play a villain!
A villain?!
Yes, a goonda, an anti-hero! (Laughs) I play Raka who runs a gang.
Have you seen Mishawr Rawhoshyo?
Yes, I went for the premiere in Bombay. It’s Neil’s landmark performance. The way he carried the whole thing out I am proud of him. He has proven to be very tough for his competitors.
Does this Bolly-Tolly juggling work for you? You are also the mother of a two-year-old…
See, it’s not like I am flooded with offers. But at this point of time juggling is something I am ready to do. I did Ram Leela while I was doing Parvarish (Sony) at the same time. Unless I do a TV show which takes up 30 days a month....
You’ve also shot for a film by Rajshri Productions…
Yes, Samrat and Co, a detective film with Rajeev Khandelwal.
