Indrani Halder on the sets of telefilm Pinjar

Whenever a Tollywood film-maker has a crucial role in mind, there?s usually a knock on Indrani Halder?s door. And she has always dared to be a little different. In Anjan Das?s Phaltu, Indrani plays a demented woman. The role is small but vital, yet not something many other actresses would have made a beeline for. Why? ?Because Pagli, my character, is totally deglamourised and we actresses don?t want to do such roles,? admits Indrani, before adding: ?I didn?t want to do such a small role initially but Soumitrada (Chatterjee) insisted that I do it and he has also helped me with tips? The role is something new for me and I will do full justice to it.?

Pagli or Khepima, as she is known in the latter half of the film, is the key character through whom the story unfolds. But playing a mad woman has its own share of problems. For one, most actors tend to go overboard with the raving and ranting, and Indrani is aware of that.

?I am not going to make her loud. There?s a lot of trauma within her and so there?s very little dialogue. I have to underplay the role and it shouldn?t look as if I am putting in an effort,? she says. ?I am an instinctive actress. I go by my gut feeling.?

From the body language to the blank stare, preparations for living a mad woman?s life have been on for quite some time. ?My make-up man Ali and hairdresser Shyamali observe the deranged people living on the streets and give me tips,? she says, enjoying the roles she?s getting these days. ?All thinking roles are coming my way and I would prefer them to roles that have no connection with the contemporary world. I have some very interesting work going on for TV, too. In the serial Bonhishikha I play a lifer who behaves like a man and becomes a lesbian.?

From being an actress, Indrani has diversified into supervising a production house involved with TV projects, ad films and music videos. ?I design my productions as I have to ensure that the heroes and heroines of my projects look proper,? she says.

Some months later though, Indrani will be busy with something different again ? acting and directing a jatra pala. With the past few years? experience on her side, she is planning a gimmick for this season. ?The pala is called Bhanumotir Khel and I will have a monkey perched on my shoulder,? she laughs. ?I have been observing the village people. They don?t want to see rona dhona all the time. You have to weave in the drama very subtly? and being the director helps the actor in Indrani,? she smiles.