The upcoming dazzinling star, actress Saiee M Manjrekar is all over the internet all thanks to her back-to-back releases this year. From making a mark in Major last year, Saiee is all set to star in Kuch Khatta Ho Jaay opposite Guru Randhawa, Neeraj Pandey’s Auron Mein Kahan Dam Tha, starring Tabu, Ajay Devgn, and Shantanu Maheshwari, and an untitled Telugu film with Ram Pothineni. She is currently shooting for latter two.
How was it working with big names like Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Ram?
It is always a pleasure working with such seasoned actors because the experience that they bring on and off the screen is immense. It has been an outstanding learning experience being on the set and just observing them.
You’re shooting for two films simultaneously. How are you switching between the characters?
I think shooting for two films is like acting in a switch-on and switch-off mode. This process helped me toggle between characters. Also, the languages of these movies were different — one in Hindi and the other in Telugu. The settings too are different. This helped me further. Do throw some light on the the characters you play in these films. In Kuch Khatta Ho Jaay, I play Ira, a very strong-willed young girl who aspires to become an IAS officer. However, life changes when she meets this crazy family and falls in love with them. I can’t talk about my characters in the other two films right now, but they too are very strong and pivotal to the plots.
Is your father (Mahesh Manjrekar) a strong critic?
I wouldn’t say he’s a strong critic, rather he’s an objective critic — he explains what went right and what went wrong, unbiasedly. He’ll explain from a director’s perspective, which is great for someone who is starting in the industry as an actor.
What are the pros and cons of being a star kid.
I think the biggest pro, at least in my case, is re gular discussions about the technicalities of a cinema, the making, the acting, lights and such, whenever we are watching something. The insights into filmmaking and acting are a constant learning process, even at home. The con is probably people think I am snooty without even knowing me personally or assume that I have put myself up on a pedestal or something. But that’s not me at all.
How do you choose a script?
I try to figure out how engaging the script is, from an audience’s point of view, how much my character has to do in the film, and if I am to use my full potential. I also take into consideration the people I will be working with and their experiences.
Which film do you feel has been the turning point for you?
I think the turning point for me was Major because there was so much to do and explore that I had never done before. The next I feel would be Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha.