Jahnavi Dhanrajgir recently made her big screen debut with ‘Bolo Hau’. In this interview, the actress talks about the kind of preparation she had to undergo before facing the camera, playing a Hyderabadi girl, being directed by her father and more.
Was it easy for you to get ‘Bolo Hau’ as it has been produced and directed by your dad? Or, did you have to go through auditions too?
I’ve lost track of the number of auditions I’ve been to. I got shortlisted a few times but none of them materialised. In fact, I was shortlisted for another film before Bolo Hau happened but that too didn’t work out somehow. For Bolo Hau too, I had to go through the audition process and I got selected because the director believed that I would be able to do justice to the character. I am glad ‘Bolo Hau’ turned out to be my debut film.
What is the kind of training you had as an actor?
I’ve been performing for as long as I can remember – it’s always been a part of my life in some way or the other, even while I did my degree in film-making where I majored in Editing I kept up with acting by taking up acting electives and doing other acting workshops, I also did the beginners acting course at The Jeff Goldberg Studio here in Bombay a couple of years ago.
Your father started his career as an actor and has many successful shows to his credit. Did he, in some way, inspire you to get into this profession?
Yes definitely, he has always been a strong support system for me and I couldn’t have asked for a better director for my debut project than him. Everyone knows working with your parents can be (possibly) challenging. It can either go way really, so initially I was a tad nervous – scratch that – very nervous. He auditioned me for this role and I remember he told me. I think you’ll be the perfect Rukhsar but I need to see you perform it. We went through a couple of rounds of auditions before he actually told me I got the part. It turns out – him and I make a pretty good father daughter duo and it was a very creatively fulfilling collaboration. He’s a patient director who knows how to get what he needs from his actors and doesn’t stop till the performance is just right. I’m grateful to him for trusting me with this film and giving me this opportunity.
What kind of preparation did you had to undergo to play the character of a Hyderabadi girl?
I spent a lot of time picking up the Hyderabadi accent. I had Abid Shah (dialogue writer) and my father guiding me through the journey. Hyderabadi Urdu has a different tone and flavour and that needed to be properly captured to bring Rukhsar to life.
How did the lockdown pan out for you?
It’s been a strange year, indeed, and very tough for so many. The state of the world is overwhelming at times. I’m reminded of how blessed I am for having the privilege of being comfortable, safe and well through the lockdown. I feel nothing but gratitude. I’ve had plenty of time for much needed introspection, reading, watching good content and chasing my cats. The year seems to be ending on a more positive note and I hope it only gets better here on for everyone.