It’s not always in Tollywood that we see powerful actresses pitted against each other in lead roles. In Kaushik Ganguly’s film Ardhangini, which has released today in theatres, Churni Ganguly and Jaya Ahsan play the former and present wife of a man into a coma played by Kaushik Sen. This is the first time that Jaya and Churni come together on screen. We speak with them about the film and more.
From the trailer of the film, it seems, you two are rivals at war…
Jaya: It seems so, but are they really rivals?
Churni: Yes, apparently looks like that but finally it’s a story of sisterhood.
How was it working with each other?
Churni: Though it’s the first time we are acting together, I was the one who conceived Jaya’s entire look and costume in Bisorjon. So, when Kaushik wrote the script for Ardhangini and decided to cast Jaya, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to work with her.
Jaya: Initially, I was a little awestruck that will get to work with Churni, I also wanted to be directed by her but the privilege of getting together was equally great. Both the characters are equally important and they are two of a kind. In any of Kaushik’s films, the dialogues are so strong that the emotions automatically show and we don’t have to struggle hard to act. The real challenge is to act out in a measured manner.
For me, the length of the role has never mattered much. I know how to impress even in a short appearance and in Kaushik Ganguly's films each and every character is so well scripted that the work becomes easier. And if one gets a co-actor like Churni it gets all the more exciting.
Tell us a little about the characters.
Jaya: My character is called Meghna and she seems a bit vulnerable, but is she really like that, or what happens, in the end, has to be seen. I play the second wife of actor Kaushik Sen, who approaches his first wife when he goes into a coma following an accident.
Churni: I play the former wife and there's a crisis when the present wife comes to her for help. How she can be of help the audience would understand that later. But the entire incident puts her in a spot, taking her back to her past and creating psychological tension within her.
I could have overdramatised the character given the kind of dialogue I had, but I decided not to. It was just enough to keep the power of the dialogue intact and not intensify it further with histrionics.
Do you believe that former and present partners of a man or a woman can be good friends?
Churni: I feel they definitely can be, in fact, they can be lifelong friends and I have seen that in real life too. But it certainly takes an adequate time period for the scars to heal and let go of things.
Jaya: In fact, I am on good terms with some of my ex-partners and their wives and we talk often.
How satisfied are you with the current work scenario in the acting industry?
Churni: I am relatively a new filmmaker with only two films released so far. To make the films, I require a certain budgetary space that is difficult to get in the current situation. Also, web platforms are taking up such a huge space with people slogging for 14-16 hours. I feel that would creatively compromise my work and that's why I am still away from the web space.
Jaya: I can’t say yes to all kinds of work that come my way since my audience has a certain expectation from me as an actor. There is a lack of new directors who have a story to tell and the Bengali OTT content too is not too exciting as of now. So, I am still waiting for the right kind of work which is also at times very frustrating as an actor.
Churni: It’s sad that an actor of her calibre is starved.
How do you grow as actresses?
Churni: Observation of humans and relationships, reading and watching good films help in understanding the script better.
Jaya: It’s important to develop ourselves as humans and keep ourselves away from the pollutants since as artistes we need a certain purity to make the characters credible, so, it’s a continuous process to stay detached from everything.
Upcoming projects?
Churni: We three – Kaushik, my son Ujaan and I -- are writing together as a team and that comprises films, webs and other concepts. And my first Hindi film Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani will release in July.
Jaya: There are a few projects ready for release including Bhoot Pori.