Critically acclaimed actor Swara Bhasker, who prefers real locations for shooting, was recently in the urban slums of Seelampur area in Delhi shooting for her forthcoming film Anaarkali of Aarah. She shares details of the movie with Nishant Singh
In a country where women are still trying to figure out their own identity, you might as well imagine how difficult it is for someone who sings double-meaning lewd songs for a living. Female singers in the small village of Araha in Patna sings erotic songs to make ends meet and journalist-turned-filmmaker Avinash Das is making his directorial venture with this subject in a movie titled Anaarkali of Aarah.
And who is playing the role of Anarkali you may ask? Well, there are no points in guessing that its Swara Bhasker, who was last seen in Sooraj Barjatya’s movie Prem Ratan Dhan Payo as Salman’s sister. In Das’s movie, however, we will see her singing songs with double meaning.
Anarkali is by far the most challenging role that the actress has portrayed. “She was tough because as a person she is very unapologetic about her sexuality. She sings lewd songs and considers herself an artiste and regards her work as art. She is a foul-mouthed, crass woman with a very fiery spirit,’ Bhasker shared about her character and added, “But she is still vulnerable in a volatile and violent world, that sees women like her as mere objects. We also have to be as real as we can to the story and the context without becoming gimmicky or sleazy.”
Though the theme seems off-beat, Bhasker considers it to be a commercial movie. “This is the most commercial movie I have ever done. It has romance, violence, it’s more of the likes of Gangs of Wasseypur and Paan Singh Tomar,” she added.
Sharing more about the movie she said, “It is the story of Anaarkali, who’s a small star of Aarah, who sings double-meaning and lewd songs at village weddings and celebrations, and how a certain incident happens in her life. The rest of the movie is about her journey thereafter. It’s a brilliant script and a very challenging role.”
To stay true to her character, Bhasker even travelled to Aarah to meet the local singers of the region.
“It started off by going to Aarah and roaming the town. In the market I found a board saying ‘Munni orchestra party’. I followed the stairs and went and met a group of such women singers. And these singers consider themselves as artistes and have the integrity and self-respect of an artiste,” she said.
Shooting in the slums of Seelampur was a unique experience for her, as it would be for any actor. But she pointed out, “I prefer real locations because of the energy and the lively atmosphere I got there.”
While shooting for the movie, Bhasker had to enact a scene in which she had to actually smoke a bidi. The versatile actress, who’s known to play her characters with great aplomb, even sat with bidi smokers and learnt the technique of smokingbidi for several scenes. “I feel there is no wrong if a girl is smoking bidi or chewing paan,” said Bhasker.
“I’m very hopeful and excited,” she added. Apart from Anaarkali of Aarah, the other film which the actress is excited about is Nil Batey Sannata, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari.
“Anarkali of Aaarah is likely to hit cinema screens by May-June 2016,” told the producer Sandeep Kapoor, who was also there at the location where the cameras were rolling.
Some minor changes have been carried out in the original article published in The Pioneer Newspaper – http://www.dailypioneer.com/vivacity/showing-the-right-picture.html
