Sanya Malhotra on being hailed by The Hollywood Reporter as a global talent to watch out for at the upcoming Berlinale
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 2, 2019)

Sanya Malhotra’s upcoming film, the Ritesh Batra-directed Photograph, was recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival and now will be showcased at the Berlin Film Festival which kicks off on February 7. And after terrific performances in Dangal, Pataakha and Badhaai Ho, the 26-year-old actress has caught the eye again, and not just of critics back home. The Hollywood Reporter has listed her as one of the five talents to look out for at Berlinale and Sanya is naturally elated. “A friend forwarded me the article, it feels great to be appreciated for a film as special as Photograph. Berlin is a prestigious film festival and a great platform to showcase my talent.”

Talking about how she bagged the film she revealed that a couple of days after Dangal’s release, casting director Mukesh Chhabra patched her on a call with Ritesh. “But since he was busy with Hollywood films, this one took off only seven months after Dangal even though Photograph was actually the second film I signed. I hope the response in India is as overwhelming as that at Sundance. It was memorable working with an accomplished actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui.”

Talking about her diverse film choices, the actress says, “I am blessed to explore different genres, but it isn’t a conscious effort. It’s just that I am being offered great scripts by different directors,” she beams, gearing up to shoot Anurag Basu’s yet-untitled next opposite Aditya Roy Kapur later this month. “I have already worked with Anurag on an ad film, he has his own style of working. Fatima (Sana Shaikh, Dangal co-star) who’s been shooting with him recently told me that he is a fun director to work with,” she concludes with a smile.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 11, 2019)

In the two days since the trailer of Gully Boy was released, Ranveer Singh has been applauded for his nuanced act of an upcoming rapper from the streets of Dharavi. Much like the fans, director Zoya Akhtar says she too was surprised when she saw her leading man — otherwise known for his gregarious nature — portray his angst-ridden character with subtlety that is uncharacteristic of him.

“Ranveer is ridiculously versatile,” exclaims Akhtar, attributing his deep understanding of characters to his “sensitive nature”. “He has a high emotional quotient. So, he can portray any kind of emotion with finesse.”

The filmmaker points out that Singh is one of the few actors who can seamlessly switch from the over-the-top universe of Simmba (2018) to the gritty one of Gully Boy. “The audience will see his range as an actor; he is so subtle and internalised in the film. During the shoot, he would vent out all his energy in the first shot. It was only in the second shot that he would get into the character,” laughs Akhtar, who recently promoted her film on an online show presented by Grey Goose.

With her fourth feature film training the lens on an unlikely subject, she hopes to offer an honest depiction of the underground rap scene of India. “When Reema [Kagti, co-writer] and I met the kids who are making this music, we realised that they talk about their lives and the socio-economic space through their music in the most honest way possible. They don’t harbour cynicism or bitterness. They are out there to change the world, and that feeling can be contagious.”

Ahead of its February 14 release, the Alia Bhatt starrer will have its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival that kicks off on February 7. “It was a toss-up between the Sundance Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival. But as the dates came closer, we realised our film won’t be ready for Sundance. So, we didn’t apply for it and instead, entered our film at the Berlin Festival.”

MUMBAI MIRROR (December 14, 2018)

Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, featuring Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt and Kalki Koechlin, is scheduled to have its world premiere at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. The film, which is loosely inspired by the life of Mumbai rapper Divine, has been selected as part of the Berlinale Special programme. The first nine films chosen for the Competition and the Berlinale Special of the gala were announced via statement on Thursday.

Gully Boy, about street rappers from Mumbai, is so far among three productions which have been invited to participate in the Berlinale Special. As part of the Official Programme, Berlinale screens recent works by contemporary filmmakers, as well as documentaries and works with extraordinary formats. Alongside the previously announced opening film, The Kindness of Strangers by Lone Scherfig, six productions and co-productions from Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Serbia, and Turkey have been invited to take part in the Competition.