Chandigarh, March 28 Rasika Dugal, who made a breakthrough in her acting career with the web series 'Delhi Crime' and 'Mirzapur', has opened up on her first break as lead in the 2012 movie 'Kshay', and recalled how she went shopping for her character's chappals.
In a conversation with Aseem Chhabra, film journalist and Director of the New York Indian Film Festival, at the Cinevesture International Film Festival 2024 (CIFF), Rasika talked about how she landed up in acting and her first break. The session was tilted as 'Walking the Arc'.
Rasika, who comes from Jharkhand, shared how she was not actually really waiting for a break.
"I much like landed up being an actor, Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) sounded to me an interesting place, it was physically located in a place which was Prabhat Studios, which is the first studio in Indian cinema. So, it has a legacy and a history. I was sort of mesmerised by that, which is why I applied to FTII," Rasika recalled.
She added: "And the idea that it had a healthy history of descent. So those were the things that attracted me to acting in the first place, I mean to the institute and therefore I landed up being an actor."
Continuing about her journey, Rasika said: "Much like that when I came to Mumbai, I didn't have a strategy in mind, I didn't think I have to crack this or this is the break I want. I was kind of floating around and looking for work that seemed interesting. And at that time many people told me 'chhote roles mat karo, wait for a bigger part'. And I said I don’t know how to introduce myself to people, except by working with them."
Talking a bit more about herself, Rasika shared: "I didn't have the skill of social networking, and I still don’t have that. And I said 'let me play to my strengths. I think I can act reasonably well. So let me try this out.' Also I felt how I know I can pull off a lead part. I felt I needed more experience. I studied acting for two years. So I took whatever came my way."
She went on to say, "The first film I did was 'Anwar'. I have one scene in it. Then, I did a film with two scene roles in ‘No Smoking’ by Anurag Kashyap. Then it led to ‘Kshay’, which was the first lead part that I had done."
The black-and-white psychological drama 'Kshay' is written and directed by Karan Gour. The film premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival. The movie features Rasika as Chhaya.
She added: "I remember the first time I met the director of 'Kshay', Karan Gour. Shortly after I agreed to do the film, we went shopping for the project. There was no costume department, nothing. Karan and I met at Lokhandwala market and went shopping for this character's 'chappals'."
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