'To be a heroine is an occupational hazard'

Candid talk

Actress Swara Bhaskar, playing the lead in the upcoming movie ‘Nil Battey Sannata’, said she was initially reluctant to play the role of mother of a teenage girl, fearing that it would affect her career.

In the film, directed by Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, the 27-year-old actress is playing the mother of a 15-year-old girl.

“When the casting director, Mukesh Chhabra, suggested the idea of a mother-daughter film, I thought I had to play the role of a daughter. I was shocked and told him that my career will go down as it’s a mother’s role,” Swara said.  The film, backed by filmmaker Anand Rai, also features Ratna Pathak, Pankaj Tripathi and Ria, will release on April 22.

“I had played Salman Khan’s sister (in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo) and then I get to play a mother (in Nil...) soon I might even get offer for the role of a grandmother,” she said in lighter vein.

Swara said that actresses typically play roles suitable to their age or roles of younger people.  

“There were people who told me it’s not a good idea to do this role. I was scared about my image,” the actress added. 

Bhaskar said she had initially thought of refusing to play the role. “I thought I will just read the script as the casting director is a friend and say that I did not like the story. But rather I loved it (story),” she said.

Bhaskar said she was told by the director to gain weight for the role.

“I was asked to gain 10 kg. So, I kept eating. But midway through the shoot, she (Ashwini Iyer Tiwari) told me to lose some weight as I was looking a bit too healthy. It is difficult to lose weight,” she said.

Explaining the title of the film, Swara revealed that in real life she is ‘Nil Battey Sannata’ (‘being an absolute zero or incompetent’) when it comes to glamour.

Swara says walking the red carpet is like appearing for examination. “To be a heroine is an occupational hazard. Earlier, I never paid attention to the glamourous side. Now, I do my homework as we have a team (stylist),” she said.

Swara said that actors are remembered for the work they do. “It was a great experience working with her (Ratna Pathak Shah). She is brilliant and an outstanding actress,” Swara said.