I think I'm a humanist. I believe all humans should have equal rights to live, express, flourish, love and dissent, irrespective of their gender, caste, class, socio-economic strata, disabilities, political stance, religion or faith.
Sayani Gupta
My father, a musician who worked with All India Radio, is no more. My mother had a government job at BSNL and was always opposed to my career in acting. She had seen the life my father had lived and did not like it.
Four More Shots' Please wanted to show a bunch of women who have agency, are fierce but not apologetic about their life.
Four More Shots' is high on the glamour quotient and has perfect looking women. But to constantly look perfect is quite exhausting.
Even 'Posham Pa' is written by a woman so it's a perspective which I empathise with more.
I'm a greedy actor, craving for exciting parts to play.
I'm not one of those who gets star struck at all, I don't feel I should give someone so much importance just because they are famous.
One of the most difficult things I find as an actor is to laugh on cue. It is way harder than crying or other emotions. It's sometimes harder than yawning on cue.
Axone', of course, was on racism, but it was also a kind of representation that hadn't happened ever before of the Northeast and the people from there. It was a nicely-written script; it was funny.
I believe in eating everything and love my rice and sweets. And eating it without guilt and worry... I feel that's the best way to digest food. I don't ever do a rigorous dieting normally.
I can never do something that I am not 100 per cent convinced about.
I've always been interested in why do people behave in certain ways which are crazy from a normal point of view.
A country can develop only when you ensure these basic rights, let them voice their opinion and give them basic education, hygiene, medication, portable water and when you empower that is true development.
I heard Hindi film songs only on Chitrahaar, when my next door neighbour would increase the volume of her TV.
My uncle has a VHS collection of over 20,000 films.
I did not work for a year after 'Margarita With a Straw'.
North-east films are still not on a national level. But 'Axone' is a mainstream film. I found the script very authentic and also very funny.
I've seen and always been extremely aware of racism... casual racism, serious racism... all of that.
Growing up, I would go to Darjeeling and Kurseong a lot and most of the locals would only talk to me in Nepali!
I know how a Manipuri is different from a Mizo or someone from Shillong. It's culturally very different... the food is also very different, and so is the language and dialect.
We are all driven by our personal realities. Otherwise you are a saint or someone who has dedicated their lives to activism.
There are very very few narratives in mainstream that are actually about the woman.
I'm very good at solving mysteries.
I'd like to see a day when we're less obsessed with stars and give due credit to everyone who is involved in the process of filmmaking and a change in the obsession with fair skin.
My work or art form should represent the kind of world view I believe in.
Probably I look different in different get-ups, so I can pass off as an urban and rural character, hopefully with the same kind of conviction.
My priority as an actor is just to be doing different kinds of roles. I say no to anything I have done before.
Women are more meticulous and methodical. But on the other hand, I feel if you go on a male-dominated set, which is mostly any other set, you don't ask how it was to be on a male-dominated set.
I have always stayed away from works that objectify women or is misogynistic or politically incorrect.
As an artist, there are times when you need to take a leap of faith... For me, it's important that the gaze is correct.
When I came to Mumbai eight years ago, I had a realistic approach. I was sure that nobody will give me work... And I was also very choosy about wheat kind of work I did.
I have a personal trainer who comes home. I work out three times a week for an hour each and focus on concentrated body weight training and cardio. Honestly, I don't always work out if I am too busy with shoots.
My eating mantra is, you should eat what your ancestors ate. It's true that the quality of vegetables, fruits and meat is of no comparison from then to now, but in principle the staple is easily digestible if it was part of your evolution lineage.
I skip breakfast. I haven't yet figured out what's the best breakfast that doesn't give me acidity. I drink warm water in the mornings with amla juice and triphala juice.
Although I don't know if I've ever felt like a 'fan' of anybody ever in my life, I've always loved Shah Rukh Khan. He was the one I loved most, you can say.
I do many commercials. All of them are interesting in their own ways.
Women should be portrayed as they are, authentically and truthfully.
I started my own chat show on Instagram, that also takes time. Then, I have also been singing and painting. I actually enjoy the down time that I get.
I think what 'Four More Shots' wanted to do from the word go is to create a narrative where women have the agency. None of the characters are perfect. They have their flaws.
In my opinion, empowerment is when women have the chance to do what they want to do and the courage to do what they want.
I am no star. Nobody recognises me on the street.
The only thing redeeming about my being born a Bengali is being brought up reading Rabindranath and Saratchandra. Other than that, the stagnancy of this city put me off all along.
My mum knew if I got out of Kolkata, I wouldn't return. So she made me sit for the entrance of St Xavier's. But once I set foot in Delhi, there was no returning.
I am terribly lazy . So, if I don't have to get out of the house, I will sleep away the entire day.
I'm dying to do a masala Bollywood film with typical song and dance. But having said that, my character in the film should have her own point of view. I won't play a role who has no brains.
I'm neither excited nor worried when my film releases. As an artiste, I would definitely want people to like my work... that's why we are here. But I don't really sit up and look at reviews. I have never sat down to ponder over what others have to say.
I'm never happy with my work. I always go back home thinking I could have done so so much better.
Human beings needed to slow down. We had been living a life full of hustle.
I never had any apprehensions while shooting for intimate scenes, we are all actors. The only apprehension would be about who are the people who are working on that particular project.
But I don't want to be stamped a serious actress. I am a very goofy person, too. I want to do mainstream films.
