Actor Sohini Sarkar chats about her latest film 'Athhoi' and more
Actress Sohini Sarkar, known for her lucid and realistic performances on screen, is receiving a lot of prised for her latest act as Diyamona (a character based on Othello’s Desdemona) in Arna Mukhopadhyay’s directorial debut Athhoi. The beautiful actress takes us through the same and her upcoming projects.
How difficult or easy was it to portray Diyamona on screen?
I had seen Athhoi the play as an audience twice. It was in 2019 when I was doing the character of Draupadi in another play called Mahabharat by Natadha, that Aran Mukhopadhyay offered me the role of Diyamona in Athhoi. I was very surprised and tentative because the play had by then already crossed 40 shows, with the characters being extremely popular among the audience. But with the help of Arna and the rest of the team I prepared for Diyamona and I did the last 6 shows. So yes, being a part of the play Athhoi, helped me to an extent to prepare for the same role in the film Athhoi. Of course, there were some technical preparations and necessary screenplay changes for the film but since the structure was already there it helped in preparing for the movie to a great extent.
If you would have the casting call, who would you have chosen for the role of Diyamona that you played?
I would have chosen Swastika Mukherjee if it was a few years back. Not that she can’t play Diyamona right now, but for that the script would have to be different. But definitely, Swastika Mukherjee would have been my choice.
What kind of roles currently interests you?
I would love to explore negative shades or characters that reflect our society -- it can be a politician with a negative shade. I would love to take up such roles that would make me think and invest time in it and drive me to work hard on it.
How do you develop yourself as an actor?
I think it is a holistic thing. I have done a lot of workshops and done a lot of theatre. But I also feel that a person is born with a certain set of skills and sensibilities that get honed with years and experience. Also, actors are very keen observers of their surroundings which they apply in acting wherever necessary. Also, a little bit of study and imagination helps in developing yourself as an actor.
Upcoming projects?
I have a film called Amar Sangi with Vikram. There’s also a Hindi anthology film by Shirsha Mukhopadhyay, where I am in one of the stories.