What’s your first instinct when you read a quirky script about a vampire falling in love with a dentist? If you’re Tanya Maniktala, you queue up for the screen test, determined to be a part of this imaginative world. After Flames, Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy, and Chutzpah, Netflix’s Tooth Pari: When Love Bites promised to be a whimsical ride. Collaborating with director Pratim Dasgupta and veteran actors was the cherry on top. In a chat with mid-day, Maniktala talks about being blown away by the script, and adding her own quirks to the role.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

I got a call from Shruti Mahajan [casting director], who told me there is a cool and quirky character, and that I would be perfect for it. She asked me to test for it. When I read the script, [I wondered], who are these characters? I called up Shruti to ask what was going on in the script, and she just kept laughing. I wanted to get on board immediately, and was over the moon when I was short-listed. When I got on a call with Pratim sir to understand the world of Rumi [her character], it set the ball rolling. The plot of a vampire falling in love with a dentist seemed so funny that I was rooting for the couple.

That was a constant thought. I was drinking blood, which was a lot of beetroot juice in reality. When I got a denture made for the prosthetics, I was intrigued. I still have a set of fangs with me as a souvenir.

Boxing Tooth Pari into any one genre would be unfair because there are so many themes going on simultaneously. It is a fantasy, romance, thriller and satire.

We both were playing characters that were opposite to us, and that was fun. He is one of the funniest people I have met. Shantanu is always open to trying new things out; he’d always give me suggestions when I asked for them. He would also be respectful of my space.

It was an ensemble cast that I never dreamt [I would work with]. Often, it was difficult to stay in character because Rumi is straight-faced and composed, while the other characters are hilarious. The energy on set was always great because we knew we were creating something wonderful. I was in awe of Revathy most of the time when the camera wasn’t switched on. I wanted to learn about their experiences. They are talented actors, but they are also such fantastic human beings. It was a great opportunity to see their human side, without any façade.

After I was signed on for the project, I went back, watched some of his earlier works and realised that he has a lot to say. On set, he gives you free rein to do whatever you want. He is collaborative and interested in listening to what you think the character should do. I was like an eager kid who kept asking him if we could [add] this or that [nuance].

Some traits are written on paper, but when you are living the character, you bring in your own [flavour]. While processing the character, I found that she has a tender [heart]. When we started talking about Rumi, we came to the conclusion that she was hurt. She was still nursing a wound, which is why she puts on a hard exterior.