On track for a ‘Super’ run

Choosy as she is, actor Mrunal Thakur doesn’t have a long list of films to her credit. But the handful of projects that she has done so far only endorse her extraordinary acting skills, writes Nina C George

Choosy as she is, actor Mrunal Thakur doesn’t have a long list of films to her credit. But the handful of projects that she has done so far only endorse her extraordinary acting skills. Mrunal’s last fillm, Love Sonia, did well at the box-office, and her performance in the soap opera Kumkum Bhagya made her a household name. She plays the role of Supriya opposite Hrithik Roshan in the just-released Super 30. In an interview with Sunday Herald, she talks about working with Hrithik, the making of Super 30, and more.

What made you accept the project? Was it Hrithik Roshan or the script?

Both. It is such an inspiring story and I couldn’t resist wanting to be a part of it. I have always been charmed by the magic Hrithik creates on screen. I’ve learnt a lot from him just by observing him on and off the screen. There was this one scene where I was a little nervous and it was Hrithik who made me feel comfortable. To help me get into the character, he suggested that we don’t go by the script and interpret the scene in our style. He said that whenever people watch this chemistry on screen, it should remind them of their childhood sweethearts.

Could you match your dance steps with Hrithik?

There’s no chance that I could match his steps. He is a fast learner. After this project, I promised myself that I would learn to dance and match steps with him someday. But Hrithik will always be the Greek god of dance.

Was it easy to play Supriya?

Hrithik plays Anand, a mathematician. The character is a wee bit complicated and an emotionally intense one. In contrast, Supriya’s character is playful, colourful, but an emotionally draining one because the emotions are never constant and switch drastically.

You say that it is an emotionally-intense film. How?

Supriya experiences a graph of emotions throughout the films. The turmoil within and extreme changes in character were hard to depict. The pain and struggle her character had to endure had to be shown to perfection. I read the script several times over to feel one with the character.

What were the portions in the film that you strongly related to?

During my childhood and through my teenage years, I had to change 11 schools and two colleges. I’ve experienced how tough it is for children to adjust to frequent changes. There are scenes in the film where students who are not familiar with English struggle to cope with the language. There was a phase when I was not fluent in English and I used to watch English films and English news channels, and listen to English songs just to get familiar with the language. I was in that phase and I totally related to those scenes.

Was it easy for you to speak in the Bihari-Hindi accent used in the film?

No. I had to work on perfecting my accent and diction. I would converse in Bihari with my maid just to understand the slang and accent. On the sets, we danced to the beats of the Bhojpuri song, Tu Lagawelu Jab Lipistic, just to get into the feel and flavour of the language. Looking back, I realise that I have learnt so many new words in Bihari.

Three takeaways from this film…

Hrithik and I spent a lot of time with each other and I admire the way he juggles his role as an actor, father, and the values that he lives by. And more than anything, he is committed to his craft.

I learnt Kathak and the intense training helped me master expressions. Kathak helped me open up from within.

This film has helped me get out of my comfort zone and experiment with different characters.