In conversation with Bhakti Rathod who recently wrapped up filming for Anil Sharma’s 'Journey'

Having roots in theatre and television, Bhakti Rathod considers herself a director’s actor. Taking on the role of Manjari in Journey and completing the filming process, Bhakti notes the challenges she faced headon while enriching the character with depth and nuance.

An impressive story of dedication and resilience marked her voyage through the making of this flick. Even when documenting in the demanding climes of Himachal Pradesh, that too in winter, the actor remained unshakeable.

While she admires Anil’s comprehension of and connection with the audience, she indicates her respect for a director’s creative vision. Bhakti also describes the set as home and the crew as family while highlighting the close-knit, supportive environment she experienced.

What is your take on cinema, television and OTT? Which is your preferred medium?

All three mediums — movies, TV, and OTT— are camera-friendly, and I have been fortunate to form a good relationship with the camera from the beginning of my acting career. The camera observes you and captures every single detail of storytelling to enhance the experience for the audience. Movies, TV, and OTT provide me with a vast canvas to reach my audience as an actor, which is very exciting. My preferred medium is whichever one my audience chooses or prefers. I love to act, and I will perform in any medium that offers me a platform and a great role.

Tell us about some of your favourite moments from your career so far.

There are many. Throwing back to when I was shooting for Gadar 2, I remember in a meeting with Anil (Sharma), he shared a video of Noor Jehaan’s interview, asking me to take that as my reference for the character he had in mind. I replicated the whole interview with the look, body language and phonetics; made another video and shared it with him. That was quite challenging to do. Coming back to Anil’s Journey, particularly, for an emerging actor, sharing the screen with Nana Patekar also offered me a chance to learn facets of the craft firsthand from his experienced performances.

Given your background in theatre and television, how would you describe your approach as an actor who closely aligns with a director’s vision?

I believe in adhering to a person’s vision when telling a story, and typically, they are the captains of the ship — the director. No matter the medium, I always strive to be my director’s best student.

You’ve portrayed a headstrong woman in Aankh Micholi. How do you describe your character of Kesar?

Kesar is a powerhouse. She is a classic case of an Indian woman’s capabilities tied to culture. She is primitive yet visionary. Her best facet for me is her drive for righteousness.

Journey is slated to hit theatres worldwide this year.