Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; December 9, 2020)

It’s a new space for Durgamati duo — actress Bhumi Pednekar and director G Ashok. After a cameo in Bhoot - Part One: The Haunted Ship, the actress is exploring the horror genre in a full-fledged way with this spooky thriller, while the latter is stepping into the Hindi film industry with this film, which is a remake of his south hit Bhaagamathie. Bombay Times had a conversation with the two where they displayed a strong actor-director bond. Bhumi opened up on how Ashok helped her navigate through the genre with the multiple takes she thoroughly enjoyed doing, whereas Ashok remembered how the actress helped him get comfortable in the brand new set-up here and much more.

With Durgamati, you are making your Bollywood debut. Did the cast and crew, especially your leading actor, Bhumi, go all out to make you comfortable here, in a new industry?
G ASHOK: Bhumi is just like a sister from Bollywood. When I arrived here, I didn’t feel like I have stepped into a new industry. I got a lot of support from the team. Bhumi helped me to ease into my work. I am very comfortable with Bhumi, a single-take artiste that she is (smiles!).
BHUMI: (Laughs!) I love giving takes, okay. Well, the most beautiful thing about Ashok sir was that he never ever declined my request for, ‘Sir, one more take’. Be it time ja raha hai, light ja rahi hai, par unhone mujhe multiple takes ke liye kabhi roka ya toka nahi. Haan, just that he would come and tell me, ‘Film mein aapka first take hi use karunga’ (laughs!).
ASHOK: Actually, Bhumi has the ability to respond spontaneously! After she hears a line, the reaction that she gives is perfect within one or at the most three takes, yet, she gets a little greedy and will go on asking for more takes. As a director, I feel that artistes should be given space to improvise and so, I would never say no to her requests.

Were you being extremely cautious and calling for retakes since it’s a horror film?
BHUMI: As an actor, I feel one should not be embarrassed or ashamed to ask for more takes, as long as it benefits the film. Personally, I love giving takes. In fact, if I get an okay for my take and suddenly one more take is called for, may be due to a technical error, then I feel happy that I am getting one more chance to do the scene. I feel that I can offer something better with one more take to the director. What helped me through Durgamati is my trust in Ashok sir. Creatively, we were on the same track. Aisa kabhi nahi hua ki our views weren’t matching. There were so many things that I didn’t know how to do, like the stance, the movement, the grace, and the walk of the character.

These things came to me from him. This film has been a learning of a lifetime. Itna large canvas hai, but in the trailer you might see me only screaming and shouting. That’s because we wanted to keep the trailer jam packed, otherwise the film has a beautiful graph. It is a very intellectually stimulating film. It is one of the most complicated characters that I have done. Ashok sir has just held my hand through this project.

In this film, as Chanchal, you had to enact a possessed woman. Weren’t you afraid of getting the gestures and reactions right, because if you aren’t on point with a role as this, you can easily go overboard?
BHUMI: The balance came from my conviction, which is important, when you are doing genres like horror or comedy. Jab aap logon ko hasaate hai ya daraate hai, the most important thing is to have conviction in your team, and in yourself. That’s the only way you can find that balance. In the film, I am reacting to things that I don’t see and feel. I don’t know if I am overdoing or underdoing it. I was in the hands of an able director. It was my trust in him and his vision. The way I look, the way I sound in the film, is just his vision.
ASHOK: Yes, with this conviction, she attained 100 per cent. Har ek scene, har ek page pe we worked. She would openly ask for my views as she has never explored something like this before. Artistes are like flowers. If I want to get their best performance, I will have to go into their heart and mind. They are tremendous responders.

Did you draw any inspiration from any onscreen character, especially for parts where you play the powerful, royal queen Durgamati?
BHUMI: I had none! My inspiration was all about what my director asks me to do. I never had any thought process on how to go about this character. The film is so fast paced that the moment I get comfortable doing one thing, next phase ka time aa jaata tha. Every phase is different from the other. It is the most complicated and complex performance of my life.

Bollywood hasn’t had the best track record with this genre, and you are making your Bollywood debut with this. That shows the confidence you have in your film.
ASHOK: To deal with a horror genre is quite a difficult task. It’s not only about scaring people (with a scene). The art is in involving the audience so much into the story that a certain fear is set within them. Otherwise, a viewer can get busy with his/her phone and walk out of the auditorium. It’s not like horror as a genre is a success formula down south, I feel it’s a successful formula in Hollywood. It is not easy to make a one hour twenty minutes horror film, agar screenplay pakad mein nahi aaya toh it’s a 100 per cent failure. Now that I am here, I want to explore more films, different genres, not only horror. I am basically a scriptwriter cum director, so I would like to do some good movies. I don’t want to come across as a part-time director, who shuffles between South and Bollywood. I want to do more work here.

Durgamati releases on Amazon Prime Video on December 11.