Pratibha Ranta on her role in 'Heeramandi'
Actress Pratibha Ranta, who plays an assertive, ambitious, and intelligent Jaya alias Kusum in Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, has earned instant recognition and fame. The actor is now back as Shama in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut web show, Heeramandi. Pratibha, who’s originally from Shimla, shifted to Mumbai after college. In our chat, she tells us about her character and more. Excerpts from the interview:
Tell us about your character in Heeramandi.
I play Sanjeeda Sheikh’s daughter, Shama. It is a nice, yet complex character, and I was able to see another version of myself through her because, at times, you experience things through your characters, that you may not experience in real life. In Laapataa Ladies, I could relate to my character Jaya and had spontaneous reactions (keeping in mind her situation), whereas for Shama, I have to create the situations in mind to understand how the character would have reacted in real life.
How did Heeramandi happen?
I had just completed shooting for Laapataa Ladies and was deliberating about what lay ahead. It was then that the offer for Heeramandi came my way, and I auditioned for the character. Somewhere in my mind, I was hoping for this to happen, and it did. I had always wished to be a part of the grandeur and magic that Sanjay Leela Bhansali creates. Now that I have visited the sets of Heeramandi, my next goal is to play a lead in one of the projects by Sanjay.
Laapataa Ladies has received wonderful reactions across the country. Do you feel lucky that it happened to be your debut film?
Laapataa Ladies has received such beautiful recognition. Everything is so positive about the film. You can watch this film without thinking too much, it’s an out-and-out family movie. I think whoever we come across in our lives, we create some sort of relationship with them, and each of these relationships is explored in this film. I feel so loved and grateful that this is my debut film. And I think with this film, my approach to choosing my projects has changed. I have received so much validation for this character that this is something I would want to experience further. It’s an inexplicable high!
What went into the casting of Laapataa Ladies?
I don’t think I ever expected to be a part of this project. I took a break from television to try my luck in films and the web space to derive true satisfaction. When I auditioned for the role, my only focus was on the performance. I was determined not to think about what happened next, and I think that worked.
Any tips for those who are starting their acting career?
Be honest towards your craft. If you put your honest efforts into something, it will pay you back. Hard work comes back to you in some way or another. It’s just very important to believe in yourself.
You are also a dancer and a hardcore fitness enthusiast. What’s your fitness regimen?
Being fit is not just physical fitness but also mental health, and for that, I do meditation, chanting, and a lot of breathing exercises before I start working out. My physical exercises mainly include aerial yoga, yoga, and gymnastics. I don’t go to the gym because I don’t understand the concept of gymming.
Heeramandi will stream from May 1 onwards on Netflix.