From visiting Saina Nehwal’s house in Hyderabad in 2019 to spending hours talking to her family, Parineeti Chopra did everything she could to get into the depth of the real-life character that she has essayed on screen. In an interview with BT, the actress talks about the upcoming biopic Saina directed by Amole Gupte where she portrays badminton champion Saina Nehwal. Excerpts:

Saina is a sportsperson who is active. If I had continued being the person I was, I would have chosen to give the role my own spin and probably, not even met her and her family. But now, when I have found my process, I wanted to become the character I play. So, I knew that I had to become Saina. I became obsessed with her. I had to know every little thing about her, which one doesn’t find out in a single meeting. So, with every conversation I had with her subsequently, I literally noted down everything about her — like her reactions in different circumstances, the hand she uses to eat, how she sleeps, how she treats her wins and losses, what’s her facial expression when she is thinking on the court. It’s like a mini thesis. I wanted to work doubly hard and invest more, which I did, but I wanted it to all look effortless in the film. It’s a dichotomy. There was a time in my life when I used to be disconnected. I would finish my job and go home and do something else. But now, I want to prepare, I want to live my part in my head and invest every ounce of my energy to become the character I am essaying. This way, I know that even if I make a mistake it will be mine, but when I succeed, then that will be mine, too. I will own them both. I love this process.

Amole sir was everything for me on this set — my friend, my director, my guide. I didn’t know Saina as well as he did. He has written the film, he has been researching her life for years in absolute detail and he treats the Nehwals as family. And Amole sir is also an actor. So, for me, he was everything I needed for this film. Each time I was stuck, I just had to turn to him. The fact that he had spent so many years and is emotionally invested in the film helped in a big way. Today, even for me, Saina is someone very dear. I have known her for two years now.

(Cuts in...) And she has kept her word. Between 2019 and 2020, I must have sent her messages daily, tapping her for the smallest details about her life, and she has been so kind and sweet to answer every query in detail. Saina was with me all along because she also wanted to ensure this goes right. She had told us things about herself, even the fact that she loves Shah Rukh Khan, and we made sure we included that in the story. She told us very casually about her love story and how she got married to Parupalli Kashyap. She was so chilled and that is how it comes across in the story, too. Yes, you might find things a little magnified in a filmy way, but the film is entirely the way she has led her life.

Yeah, I had picked up every piece of advice she gave me, but I still got injured. I had a doctor, physiotherapist and my coach on the set every day when we were shooting those game portions. During my school days, I was always a better student than an athlete; in fact, my exposure to sports was not as much. So, I don’t have the conditioning that sportspersons have from their childhood. One had to first get into shape, learn the sport and then live like an athlete to play the part well. I remember going to the badminton academy in Thane to see how students live there, what they eat, how they move and how they manage themselves. I started living like an athlete, which helped a lot. Due to certain constraints, I remember we shot all the game portions in one go — 21 days, 12 hours a day. It’s a lot for a non-athlete. On the last day, I attempted a jump smash and was injured. I got medical assistance immediately, but I have to give credit where it is due. Saina’s tips, Amole sir’s prep, the physio, my coaches, the doctors and the crew saw me through 20 days without injuries.

No. We finished shooting in February last year when I was at the peak of my prep and the lockdown was imposed in March. I saw the film while dubbing. Saina is currently in Switzerland, and we will show it to her when she returns. I am very nervous thinking of that day; I will hide behind a chair and not show her my face (laughs!). That’s because I know her and I don’t want to disappoint her. In fact, I don’t want anyone to be disappointed with my work.

When you are at your lowest, you have to find the power within and not give up. If I was a player and I lost a match on a world platform, I don’t know if I would be able to go back, but Saina goes back, and marvellously so. That makes me realise how important one’s family is for one to be able to do that. No matter what, they won’t leave your side. I know the value of this statement today and understand it more so because of the way the year 2020 panned out. I didn’t get stressed under any circumstance because they were with me. My family always stands by me, and even in a year with little hope, they made me feel like royalty. This phase has jolted the human race, which was running fast to nowhere. Now, we’re walking steadily to somewhere.