"Bengalis are very culturally inclined. So, Whenever I come here, I’m sure that the audience will be very responsive” said actress and thespian Lillete Dubey, who is in town to stage her directorial, Vodka And No Tonic (organised by Nanni Singh) – a play that revolves around the fragility of human relationships. We caught up with her for a chat, during which she told us why she feels that the film industry happened to her accidentally, how relationships are at the heart of her work, and more. Excerpts:

Slowly the winds are changing, and I am so glad! With OTT and new-age cinema, being ‘conventionally beautiful’ is no longer a prerequisite for an actor.

'I first came to Kolkata 35-40 years ago to perform at Kala Mandir. Kolkata is a culturally conscious and developed city, be it in the field of literature, music or any art form. It’s very open. And that’s a thing when you come to perform in a city that is culturally alive — it’s open to all themes.'

'Acting in TV and movies was not my game plan. I used to do a lot of theatre since college. Then I did something in Hum Log and some work in cable TV too. It was fun. It was purely by accident that I was offered a role in Zubeidaa. It was a lovely role, so I thought why not. However, I don’t feel challenged by cinema. It’s great fun, but I don’t think there has been any role that has challenged me.'

I picked up these stories (of Vodka And No Tonic) to not remember the pandemic or what we went through. I wanted to look at relationships through the lens of the crisis. There is one thread that binds all my works – relationships. Irrespective of what the theme is, relationships connect it to the audience.

Theatre is in their blood, but neither decided to go that way professionally. Neha, when she was in college, did Monsoon Wedding and a couple of other films. After college, she took a sabbatical and realized that her heart was not in it. So, she went abroad to pursue Masters in psychotherapy and is now a trained psychoanalyst. Theatre is something she enjoys, but it’s not her career choice. She’s a very spontaneous actor. On the other hand, Ira did a major in theatre. She is producing and co-producing plays and also working on stage, OTT and films. When I work with her, she’s my actor and we navigate things differently. But though Neha is not completely in it, the three of us do discuss theatre and it’s a great feeling.