It was in early 2000 when Konkona Sensharma debuted in the industry with Ek Je Aachhe Kanya. While the Bengali film circuit knew at that very instance that a star is born, she proved her calibre to the rest of the world by outshining the biggest of stars in films that otherwise tanked at the box office. Take Laaga Chunari Mein Daag with Rani Mukherji and Abhishek Bachchan for instance.
But Konkona is more than her nuanced characters that boast a sense of sensitivity and relatability. She is an active bystander in cinema. Even her viewing experience features films, series and dramas that explore the depth of human emotions. Recently, as a guest curator for MUBI, she handpicked a couple of films from the platform’s library that she deemed fit for the audiences’ watch list.
Indulge spoke to her about this exclusive curation on a random Wednesday morning when even the rain gods were in our favour. Surprisingly, at her end, everything was sunny. She spoke to us as her dog soaked in some sun and birds chirped in the backdrop. We decided to start our conversation by asking her about her characters on-screen and how she makes them so relatable.
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On-screen approach…
“The first thing for me, I think, is to understand the character that I’m playing. Sometimes, what happens is that scripts are well written like in the case of Aisha from Wake Up Sid. She had a life outside of Sid. She had her own ambitions, her own goals, her own agenda and her own path. That being said, I also try to really understand the characters a little bit without judgment,” she says. Konkona reveals that during the early part of her career, even she was judgemental about some of her characters but things have changed. “As an experienced person now, I actually gravitate towards the kind of characters that are not perfect, are flawed or in some kind of a transition in their lives. If you think about it, as an actor you are really playing your own life,” she adds. On one end while Konkona unintentionally chooses characters where the audience can see themselves, her personal viewing experience is a little atypical. She still relies on recommendations and word-of-mouth, she reveals.
What Konkona consumes…
“I’m open to watching anything and everything as long as it’s something that’s well-made and some thought has gone into it. I especially like things which have unexplored and underrepresented themes. Personally, I find them very interesting. I actually don’t watch as much as I would like to. I watch fewer things but I’ll always watch something that is highly recommended. It could be the work of a director who I admire or if there’s something new or fresh with its treatment,” Konkona explains. Upon enquiry on what themes she likes to work around on-screen, we point out to her that intimacies and silences play a significant role in her filmography. Even that, she avers, is not a conscious step she undertakes. She does agree, however, that these two elements are important for her.
Silence & intimacy
“Intimacy is something that is very powerful, especially emotional intimacy. It doesn’t have to be an erotic intimacy because erotic intimacy is accessible anywhere. Emotional connection, can, however, be very thrilling. Just being able to connect with another being, even if it’s an animal and even if it is for a limited time — is all very relevant. We are all walking around isolated, so, sometimes if you’re able to make a connection with another human — that in itself can expand your own horizons,” she explains. Adding, she says, “as for my films, it is not a conscious decision but somehow intimacies and silences have made it to the screen and they have been effective. Think about it, in films, where lots of things are constantly happening, there’s also very little time to process, so, it’s nice when you have those moments of silence. Factors like background scores also tell you what to think and how to feel in advance which is not always fun because then you are not participating as much. However, you can fill in silences with your own experiences.”
Konkona’s watchlist…
We then switch to something that we’ve always been curious about. What does Konkona watch? Nowadays, you do not find many actors who critique the flamboyant universe of high-grossing superhero films but when Konkona does, it suddenly makes sense. She gives us the example of a Charlie Chaplin film that she has recommended for the platform and says, “With all these franchise films, I feel developing the habit of watching standalone films is very important, especially for kids. They are constantly distracted with no time to reflect.” Konkona wants her audience to develop the patience to sit through different kinds of things. This also explains her obsession with the coming-of-the-age drama Les Quatre Cents Coups and Jules et Jim. Films that even we have added to our watchlist. Talk about conviction. As we end the conversation, Konkona gives a little insight into her upcoming projects and adds, “I have a few things which are coming out now. I have The Rapist with Aparna Sen that’s going to release by the end of the year and there is Mumbai Diaries Season 2 that comes out soon and Soup which is a web series. You know how it is.” Do we? We’re not too sure, but we do know we love watching the actress in all her avatars on-screen and can’t wait for her next release.
Mail: muskankhullar@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @muskankhullar03