2019-09-24 Femina

THE BUZZMAKERS

HOW DID

BEECHAM HOUSE

COME ABOUT?

Gurinder Chadha’s

casting team reached

out. It was a fabulous

part, portraying an

empress of the Mughal

empire. It is a series for

ITV UK. Both Gurinder

and her husband Paul

are amazing to work

with. It’s remarkable

how they work as

a team. The production

was unbelievably well

organised, given that

it was a multi-ethnic

cast and crew.

How different

is your portrayal

of Dr Mira in

Hostages from

the protagonist

in the original

Israeli series?

I watched the original

series and loved the

way Ayelet Zurer

played the part.

However, as Indians

we have our own

cultural nuances,

so Dr Mira Anand

is very desi; she is

a surgeon, a wife,

and a mother. The

series is brilliantly

adapted by

Sudhir Mishra.

Playing Dr Mira Anand

was interesting because

she is super sharp,

and detached. Yet, the

audience must feel her

pain. It was tough to

portray that without

showing emotion; but

Mishra’s direction made

it easy. We had a doctor

on set to guide us. The

challenge was to get the

confidence and ease of

a top surgeon correct.

HOW WAS ACTING

IN A WEB SERIES

DIFFERENT?

Acting is an art. One

doesn’t alter the style

based on the medium—

unless it’s theatre or ads.

Some of the best writing

is happening on the web

today. In Hostages, I got

to play a part so central to

the story. Both in terms

of content and driving the

narrative, this has been

one of my best roles.

What's next? We

heard that you

are foraying into

direction.

The process of

filmmaking is longer

than the euphoria after

its release. So, I want

to enjoy that process

more. I am keen on

getting my feature film

started at the earliest.

It’s an interesting

script, and is giving me

a positive vibe.

I have enjoyed

most of the

roles and

the people

I worked with.

My role as Dr Mira Anand has been great.

Vanita from my short film Chutney was very

exciting. Maya Awasthi from Taare Zameen

Par continues to touch so many people.

Also, there are two lesser known films;

Ankur Arora Murder Case and Rahasya

that I enjoyed being part of.

TISCA CHOPRA

SCRIPTING SUCCESS

HOSTAGES HAS BEEN GETTING

GOOD REVIEWS. HOW DID YOU PREP

FOR YOUR ROLE?

CAN YOU TELL

US ABOUT YOUR

ROLE IN

GOOD NEWS?

YOU HAVE DONE A VARIETY OF

ROLES. WHICH ONES HAVE BEEN

THE MOST MEMORABLE FOR YOU?

—As told to

Anindita Ghosh

She has a slew of exciting projects up her sleeve, and is

prepping for her Bollywood directorial debut. The actor

talks about her journey and varied roles

I was keen on doing

a Dharma film. I just

love Karan Johar and

his energy, so when

Good News came up

and I met director Raj

Mehta, I jumped at the

opportunity. I play

a doctor, but she’s very

different from

Dr Mira Anand.

THE BUZZMAKERS

HOWDID

BEECHAMHOUSE

COMEABOUT?

GurinderChadha’s

castingteamreached

out.It wasa fabulous

part,portrayingan

empressoftheMughal

empire.It isa seriesfor

ITVUK.BothGurinder

andherhusbandPaul

areamazingtowork

with.It’sremarkable

howtheyworkas

a team.Theproduction

wasunbelievablywell

organised,giventhat

it wasa multi-ethnic

castandcrew.

Howdifferent

is yourportrayal

ofDrMirain

Hostagesfrom

theprotagonist

intheoriginal

Israeliseries?

I watchedtheoriginal

seriesandlovedthe

wayAyeletZurer

playedthepart.

However,asIndians

wehaveourown

culturalnuances,

soDrMiraAnand

isverydesi;sheis

a surgeon,a wife,

anda mother.The

seriesisbrilliantly

adaptedby

SudhirMishra.

PlayingDrMiraAnand

wasinterestingbecause

sheissupersharp,

anddetached.Yet,the

audiencemustfeelher

pain.It wastoughto

portraythatwithout

showingemotion;but

Mishra’sdirectionmade

it easy.Wehada doctor

onsettoguideus.The

challengewastogetthe

confidenceandeaseof

a topsurgeoncorrect.

HOWWASACTING

INA WEBSERIES

DIFFERENT?

Actingisanart.One

doesn’talterthestyle

basedonthemedium—

unlessit’stheatreorads.

Someofthebestwriting

ishappeningontheweb

today.InHostages,I got

toplaya partsocentralto

thestory.Bothinterms

ofcontentanddrivingthe

narrative,thishasbeen

oneofmybestroles.

What'snext?We

heardthatyou

areforayinginto

direction.

Theprocessof

filmmakingislonger

thantheeuphoriaafter

itsrelease.So,I want

toenjoythatprocess

more.I amkeenon

gettingmyfeaturefilm

startedattheearliest.

It’saninteresting

script,andisgivingme

a positivevibe.

I haveenjoyed

mostofthe

rolesand

thepeople

I workedwith.

MyroleasDrMiraAnandhasbeengreat.

VanitafrommyshortfilmChutneywasvery

exciting.MayaAwasthifromTaareZameen

Parcontinuestotouchsomanypeople.

Also,therearetwolesserknownfilms;

AnkurAroraMurderCaseandRahasya

thatI enjoyedbeingpartof.

TISCA CHOPRA

SCRIPTING SUCCESS

HOSTAGES HAS BEENGETTING

GOOD REVIEWS. HOWDIDYOUPREP

FOR YOUR ROLE?

CAN YOU TELL

US ABOUT YOUR

ROLE IN

GOOD NEWS?

YOUHAVEDONEA VARIETYOF

ROLES.WHICHONESHAVEBEEN

THEMOSTMEMORABLEFORYOU?

—As told to

Anindita Ghosh

She has a slew of exciting projects up her sleeve, and is

prepping for her Bollywood directorial debut. The actor

talks about her journey and varied roles

I was keen on doing

a Dharma film. I just

love Karan Johar and

his energy, so when

Good News came up

and I met director Raj

Mehta, I jumped at the

opportunity. I play

a doctor, but she’s very

different from

Dr Mira Anand.