Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; December 10, 2017)

Model-actress Dipannita Sharma, who debuted this year in regional films with the Assamese movie, Xhoixobote Dhemalite (Rainbow Fields), is thrilled over the response it has garnered globally. It bagged the Best Foreign Feature Film at a Los Angeles film fest, got her the Best Actress Award in New Age Cinema, was the official selection for the Catoosa County Film Festival in Georgia and also in the Indian Panorama section at IFFI 2017. Though her film career is looking up, Dipannita says that she did not have an easy beginning. In an interview with Bombay Times, she talks about her latest movie, her struggles and how marriage has made her more evolved. Excerpts...

You began modelling while you were in college. How has the journey been, from modelling to acting?
It has been wonderful because I didn’t realise the transition at all (smiles) — I just smoothly drifted from one to the other. About a year after I shifted to Mumbai from Delhi (where she completed her graduation), I started getting calls to audition for films. I wasn’t very keen in the beginning, because I wanted to establish myself as a model first.

However, eventually, my friends and family convinced me to audition for 16 December (2002). There were two-three rounds of auditions to clear, and I found it extremely gruelling. Finally, my acting gene (her mother was actively involved in theatre back home in Assam) triumphed and I decided to give it a shot.

You have been a supermodel and now, you are an award-winning actress. Which profession are you closer to and why?
I was juggling both for the longest time, so I never felt like I am someone who turned into something else. I truly detest the term ‘model-turned-actress’; I love both my professions. Yes, I am acting more now, because it’s a natural progression for me, but I still walk the ramp for friends from the industry and new designers.

You did an Assamese film recently. How did it feel to do a movie in your mother tongue?
Xhoixobote Dhemalite has a heartwarming subject. I had always hoped that whenever I made my Assamese film debut, it would be with a subject like this.

When a model turns actress, she is not taken too seriously. In such a scenario, what does winning a Best Actress award mean to you? Do you feel vindicated?
After winning that award, I felt like I was finally being seen and heard for the right reasons. I have struggled to be taken seriously as an actor, despite being appreciated for my performances. People always see my glamorous side first. Firstly, let me clarify — there is nothing wrong with glamour. Secondly, if you want me to be non-glamorous, I can be that as well. Don’t judge me on the basis of my photographs from fashion events!

Your film Xhoixobote Dhemalite has won recognition nationally and internationally. Tell us a bit about it…
Xhoixobote Dhemalite is about children growing up amidst the insurgency in the 80s’ Assam and how a family must still go about their daily life in a seemingly normal manner. It’s a tricky subject, but it has been handled sensitively by National Award winning director, Bidyut Kotoky.

You got married at the peak of your career, and have always given a lot of credit to your husband (businessman Dilsher Singh Atwal) for your success…
My marriage has made me a more evolved person. I see relationships differently now. It has set me free, made me more non-judgmental and insightful. Maybe, my transformation has impacted my career in a positive way as well.

What are your upcoming projects?
I am currently prepping for a new web series, after completing work on two other. I have also finished shooting for a Hindi thriller, apart from reading a lot of scripts. That apart, my business partners and I are looking forward to launching our production company, which will concentrate on opening up the North East for shooting mainstream cinema and other media content.