‘The Terrorist’ rides high on expressions

Director P C Shekar’s latest project, ‘The Terrorist’, draws its inspiration from the series of blasts that took place in different parts of Bengaluru in 2008. The lead is played by Ragini Dwivedi who vouches that the film is a positive one that lays bare the facts. She says that it was a challenge for her to slip into the character of a Muslim girl after playing a host of other contrasting characters in her earlier projects, some of which involved action sequences as well. Is she a victim of the blasts? Or was she party to triggering the blast? These are questions that do well to arouse one’s curiosity about the film.

In an interview with Nina C George, Ragini talks about her role and more.

How was it for you to slip into your character?
It was quite challenging because I really love wearing colourful clothes and experimenting with different kinds of roles. Here, I have had to tone down my expressions and body language and even the costumes are simple and plain.People were shocked when I first did an action sequence and they will be in for a surprise when they see me play my part in this film.

What are your thoughts about the title?
This is an edge-of-your-seat suspense thriller and the title is a bit of a surprise because one has to really look out for terrorist in places, people and situations. The portrayal is subtle yet gripping. What is expressed here is the point of view of a girl, and interestingly the characters don’t step over each other.

Was it easy to emote your character?

The film rides high on emotions and expressions. The scenes, music and the characters are intelligently interwoven. Here, we connect to the character by expression rather than dialogues. We chose this method because when you are caught in a tough situation, you first react right? And what comes through is your expression. You start talking only much later. We have captured how a girl stuck in a tough situation connects through strong emotions, values and expression of love and anger. She showcases the situation of suppression, depression and sadness.

Is this film inspired by real incidents?
Yes, it is. It delves into the possible reasons that triggered the blasts and why it happened. We have also shot in places where the blasts took place.

On working with P C Shekar...
Shekar and I have known each other for a long time. When I first heard the script and the title, I was wondering how my character was linked to it. But things became clear when I put the puzzles together. I knew I would be taking a big risk in terms of the taking on the name, culture and character sketch but I was excited to go for it.