“I love working in quality TV, films, and the web space but everyone knows that my heart belongs to the theatre”

LILLETE DUBEY

In this freewheeling intimate e-mail interview with JYOTHI VENKATESH the versatile senior actress Lillete Dubey who is busy straddling not only the theatre, but also film, TV as well as the web space tells that she would like to widen her horizons and throw her net further, by writing a book, directing a film, and exploring other creative pursuits

 

How did you approach your role as Romita’s mother Sucharita Mukherjee in the short film Season’s Greetings?

Well, Suchitra is a character which, I should say, is very close in age to me, and she is an artiste, who lives alone (without her husband), loves to read, produces dance dramas, and has a daughter who lives separately. Many of these things are true of me too.

Proceed please!

I lost my husband 5 years ago, and I have 2 daughters who live on their own, and happily so. I am an actor, director, producer and I love reading, and so the role resonated strongly with me in many, many ways. And to top it, I love music too.

 

What made you say yes to Ram Kamal Mukherjee when he approached you with the offer to cast you in his short film?

I liked the story, and what the film was trying to say in its main theme, as well as in its sub themes. I thought all these themes were very interesting and were important points that the film was trying to raise and put forth. And I loved my role. Also, it was a tribute to a film maker like the late Ritupurno Ghosh who I admired very much both professionally and as a person and with whom I had hoped to work with one day.

 

Go on!

The Bengali element and the natural grace of a dancer was what I wanted to incorporate in some way into the character, through her look and body language. The rest was quite easy. And I'm so happy that Ram could see me so easily in this role.

 

What is your view on the film having been released during the lockdown period?

I think in a way, it's great that the film has had its premiere on Zee 5 during the lockdown because people are locked in at home, with very few distractions, so they have more time to see something like a short film, which they otherwise might have ignored or overlooked. And in this manner the short film Season’s Greetings has got a bigger viewership than it might have had otherwise.

Season’s Greetings is a film that underlines the plain fact that love comes in many hues and does not discriminate between cast, color, race, religion, gender etc!

Yes. The film sets out to convey beautifully the sublime message that love can come in any shape and form and at any time in your life, if you are open to it and its possibilities. We are all conditioned to believe that all love is of a certain type and that it's largely the prerogative of the young. A film I did called ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ and its sequel also both talk of love and opportunities in your sunset years, which is so very inspiring!

 

How easy was it for you to break ice with actors like Celina Jaitley and Azhar Khan?

I am a director for several years in the theatre so it comes easily to me to work with all kinds of actors. Also, to break the ice between them, make them feel comfortable with each other, I had to do the workshop scenes till they get off the page and became real and completely natural, and all the actors became these characters they are playing. Both Celina and Azhar were very enthusiastic and keen to work in this manner and were excited to follow my process, and Ram was very encouraging about actors finding their way around their own parts and the scenes. That I think is actually the hallmark of a good actor’s director!

 

How do you look back at your chequered career after straddling the theatre, TV, films and web series as an actress?

I am grateful for the enormous range of work that has been offered to me in all mediums, even till today! I love working in quality TV, films, and the web space but everyone knows that my heart belongs to the theatre!

What do you think about the current time, which is sounding the death knell of entertainment media?

In these dark and difficult times, I’m very sad to see how theatre specially and of course even films, Television and web series are all going to suffer enormously. I know we are all worried about our health and the economy, which is priority of course at this point, but nevertheless Art is soul food and we need it even more today, as we can all see during these challenging times.

 

What are your forthcoming projects as an actress?

I had a couple of projects in the pipeline - a potential film and a web series, but nothing is clear now about when and where these interesting projects are going to happen so I don’t want to discuss them right now.

 

Isn’t it true that your film Tryst with Destiny has been selected for the Tribeca Film Festival in New York?

Yes. It is true that a lovely film of mine called ‘ Tryst with Destiny’ directed by Prashant Nair and produced by Drishyam,  in which Victor Bannerjee and I have a part , has been selected for the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, and has just won Best Screenplay, ( a big honor) and hopefully will release later this year. I also did a Bengali web series ‘Shock Ahlad’ with some wonderful and well known Bengali actors which should also be out soon. I am also working on a sequel to our very successful play ‘Dance like a Man’ in which I will also be acting.

What is the reason that though you are part of Bollywood, you have a separate standing of your own in the film industry?

I'm so delighted to hear you say that. I have always, above all else, wanted to be perceived as an artiste, not only as a Bollywood actor, but also Theatre and TV actor and a theatre director. It's probably because much as I love working in Bollywood, that is not the sum total of my contribution to the Arts and to acting. I would like to in fact widen my horizons and throw my net further. By writing a book, directing a film, and exploring other creative pursuits.

 

Do you have any plans to direct a web series or a film in the near future?

Yes I do actually. I am very keen to try direction in another medium and I am working on certain projects.

 

Can you evaluate your individual growth as an actress till date?

I've been lucky to get a wide variety of roles across several media, but I always feel when I see my work, that I have still have a long way to go. I always feel I could have done things better, after I see myself in something!

Can you elucidate please?

I honestly feel my best work is yet to come. And I want to always be aspiring to give that perfect take, perform that perfect role, and direct that perfect play! Because I am of the opinion that the desire to attain perfection is what keeps artists going even though they know that they may never ever be able to reach their goal.