EXCLUSIVE: Singer Antara Nandy debuts as an actor in Rajadhiraaj musical
Antara Nandy has won the hearts of millions of audiences through her versatile singing. This time around, she treats her fans to not only music but also as an actor by making her debut on-stage with the world’s first mega musical on Shri Krishna called Rajadhiraaj: Love Life Leela, where she essays the lead role of Radha. Directed by Shruti Sharma, the grand musical is on till September 5 at Mumbai’s Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). We catch up with Antara for a candid chat on how she became Radha, the preparations for it and more.
Excerpts:
How did the musical come to you?
I heard about the musical a year back when it was being ideated by Parthiv Goyal. He had told me that he was working on a broadway format and wanted me to be a part of it. Of course it was an instant yes because it sounded like something I had never done before. I have only known how to sing but being on-stage singing, acting and dancing together was something I really wanted to explore.
A year went by and suddenly one day I was asked to meet the director of the show, Shruti Sharma. I had been initially called for the role of Rukmini but she thought that I gave off the Radha vibe.
What kind of preparation did you undertake to step into the role of Radha?
The workshops began in Mumbai and it was three and half months of rigorous practice. We have had breakdowns and injuries but there was no stopping. Bertwin D’souza and Shampa Gopikrishna did the choreography. We were trained from scratch in acting, dancing, and more. We had a routine of acting sessions in the morning, dance classes or music lessons in the evening. Also, the whole process was just not about saying our lines; it was about understanding the character.
The importance of the character did not seep in initially. During a chat with one of the researchers for the show, I asked him that I wanted to know more about Radha. He told me different anecdotes. One interpretation was that perhaps Radha never existed but she was perceived to make people understand the meaning of love. He also mentioned that characters choose actors and if I get to play Radha in this life, then it’s a responsibility. That day it dawned on me that I have to work harder.
Was it challenging to transition from an actor to singer in a split second on stage?
Since this is my first time in acting, I looked at it very technically- what the lines were, what were the expressions expected of me, the steps I had to take, the turns I had to make etc. And cut to my cue where I would start singing. But I think after the first two shows I started feeling comfortable with the fact that this is one unit- its my act and I am Radha.
I remember Sachin [of the music composer duo Sachin-Jigar, who composed the music for the show] telling me that Radha wasn’t a trained singer. She must have picked it up from the daily way of life in the village. But when I sing, that fact that I am a trained musician gets reflected. It took me a lot of time to understand how to go about it. How do I sound not trained? It took me a while to understand that I had to incorporate Radha’s personality in the song.
Also, I’m the only one in the entire play who has a full-fledged dance going on while I am singing. As stage performers, giving a bit of body language are expected but doing a full Garba on –stage is tough. I had to train myself to be able to do that.
What kind of responses did you get after the premiere?
When the show premiered and the who’s who of the industry like Shankar Mahadevan, Hema Malini, Kailash Kher, Janhvi Kapoor and many others, were in the audience and the reviews and cheers that we got, we realised the hard work was all worth it. I have got comments where people said that they had come in after watching the popular television serial and were in two minds about accepting another face as Radha. But after looking at the performance it feels that 'no this is our Radha'. There’s a different satisfaction when you get these reviews.
One takeaway from the entire experience that will help you grow as a performer
All this while when I have sung even in movies I have looked at the song from the perspective of what I can show in the song from my skill set. But after doing this play I have realised its more about the song and what it needs from you and then singing the song. Unlearning is the biggest takeaway. Also humility! 70% of the cast are accomplished musicians but when we started training as actors we realised there’s much to imbibe – give up inhibitions to being free on-stage as an actor. I have evolved as a person and musician. I’m a lot less insecure about my appearance. Also, I have increased my stamina to great lengths.
Would you consider acting roles in future?
For sure! I have always been someone who likes to try new things. I have been trained in music since childhood but acting happened by chance. Now if people think I can do it and there’s somebody to guide me through it, then why not?
Tickets to ‘Rajadhiraaj: ‘Love. Life. Leela’ can be booked online.
