Simrat Kaur Randhawa Playing Bharti Banerjee in The Bengal Files, My Biggest Career Challenge

Actress Simrat Kaur Randhawa stars as Bharti Banerjee in Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri's film "The Bengal Files," marking one of the most significant challenges in her acting career She previously appeared in South Indian films and Bollywood hits like "Gadar 2" and "Vanvaas."

Simrat's journey into acting was unexpected She initially had no interest in acting and was more focused on sports, having a background as a black-belt in Karate and participating in World Karate Championships.

Her acting career began with a print advertisement for Cadbury, followed by a role in the Telugu film "Prematho Mee Karthik" at the age of 17, despite language barriers and initial reluctance

"Gadar 2" was Simrat's first Bollywood film, which grossed over ₹700 crores and brought her significant attention and praise for her on-screen presence

For "The Bengal Files," Simrat had to convince director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri of her suitability for the role, promising to learn Bengali for the period film set between 1943-1946

To prepare for her role as Bharti Banerjee, Simrat studied films from the 1920s and 1930s, including works by Satyajit Ray, and researched historical events like Direct Action Day to understand the era better

The character of Bharti Banerjee is inspired by revolutionary figures and embodies the transition from revolutionary action to embracing Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, presenting a complex role for Simrat

Simrat found filming emotionally and physically challenging, especially scenes involving heavy action and historical re-enactments, but she managed to mentally recover quickly after intense shooting days