The Sky Is Pink director talks about how she brought her characters to life on screen
BOMBAY TIMES (October 5, 2019)

A film is an amalgamation of many factors, but its core lies in the idea that stems from one person. And in the case of The Sky Is Pink, it is director Shonali Bose. The film is about a family celebrating the beauty of life as well as death, and it resonated with Shonali on a personal and emotional level. Bringing together the feelings of happiness, loss and peace, she worked towards making the big screen come live with these characters.

To begin with, the National Award-winning filmmaker, who has written the film with Nilesh Maniyar, decided to forge a bond with all her actors. Recalling her first meeting with Priyanka Chopra Jonas, she said, “It’s important for me to form a close, emotional bond with my cast. Great performances are also about the exchange of energy between actors and director, and among themselves. Priyanka and I bonded fast, as we spoke about the death of my son and her father. These conversations are a core part of the work that went into her brilliant performance.”

Speaking about Farhan Akhtar, she adds, “I was very intimidated with him, as he is not only a brilliant actor, but also an excellent director. But when Sid (Siddharth Roy Kapur, producer) and I met him to discuss the film, he just looked into my eyes and said that he will do it, but that he is terrified. And that he was going to place himself in my hands. The trust, power and confidence he gave me was amazing. We had a beautiful relationship from that moment.”

Shonali shares how crucial the young actors, Zaira Wasim and Rohit Saraf, too, are to the story. She says, “Zaira plays the role of Aisha and that is a huge responsibility. Though it’s based on a real person, I didn’t want the character to be a carbon copy. And, the best way to avoid that was to cast somebody who does not look like Aisha. I did not want her to lose weight either, because I don’t believe in it. What I wanted for this character is a beautiful spark in the eyes, and Zaira has that. She has the spirit and spunk that Aisha had. She is the heart and soul of this film and is spectacular in it. Aditi (Chaudhary, Aisha’s mother) said at the world premiere in Toronto International Film Festival that she feels as if Aisha was reborn on this day.”

Shonali adds, “As for Rohit (Saraf), he has a very special place in my heart as he is playing Ishaan, Aisha’s brother. He was the only one who had to audition for the role. He was one of the hundred actors who auditioned to play Ishaan Chaudhary, and he stole my heart right away. His vulnerability was beautiful even in the audition and I absolutely loved him. He was also easy to work with.” .

As a true captain of the ship, Shonali became the support system for all her actors in challenging situations. During Aisha’s death scene, all the actors (and some crew members) broke down at different points, and looked to her for strength. Having dealt with grief multiple times in her own life, Shonali effortlessly transformed into a pillar of strength for her team. The filmmaker says, “I was in a place of light, peace and strength on that day, as that has now become my relationship with death. I was able to hold them in my arms and give them the love and support they needed to be able to perform. Each of them surpassed themselves, giving me goosebumps.”

The Sky Is Pink, produced by RSVP and Roy Kapur Films, in association with S K Global and Purple Pebble Pictures, releases on October 11.