Rasika Dugal who was last seen in A Suitable Boy and Delhi Crime is busy and how! With back-to-back projects, the 37-year-old actress recently got to shoot a limited series of four 10-minute episodes on her home state — Postcards from Jharkhand — for National Geographic. The Rajasthan International Film Festival Award-winner decided to take time out to shoot for the show that is now on air and we caught up with her to find out more.
“Jamshedpur and Jharkhand hold a very special place in my heart. And now, this exciting collaboration with National Geographic and Jharkhand Tourism, has given me a chance to embark on an adventure to explore and re-connect with my home state. The breathtaking views, incredible tribal community, art, culture, and, most importantly, the charm of this place has taken me back to my childhood days, making this journey even more memorable for me,” begins Rasika as we catch up with her for a quick chat.
“When I was asked to do this show I was delighted, because this was something different to do and I am always happy to do something different. I was shooting continuously for seven months and I really felt this would be the way to de-stress, not realising that travelling across Jharkhand for 10 days is far from distressing in anyway (laughs). It was physically exhausting, but it was so beautiful. Also, I was always conscious about the fact that I do not know much about my homeland and that I had hardly travelled within my home state. I grew up in Jamshedpur and I was there till I was 18 and my parents still live there and I go back at least twice or thrice a year,” adds Rasika.
From prehistoric rock art caves to the magnificent heritage temples and ancient monuments, the series sheds light on Jharkhand’s cultural landscape. With breathtaking cinematography showcasing captivating lush forests, spectacular wildlife, pristine hill stations and heart-thumping adventures, Rasika, shares her spiritual and wondrous journey while exploring the varied destinations spread across the state. Rasika also introduces the viewers to the diverse tribal traditions in Jharkhand along with tribal dance forms, sohrai painting, local cuisines and the architectural marvels of the state.
“I learnt so much. I tasted tribal cuisine for the first time and I discovered new things like futkal ki chutney (made from the leaves of a tree). I also loved my experiences at Betla National Park. As a child, we often ignored places within the state and went elsewhere for holidays. So, it was great to discover something so beautiful, so close home,” the actress concludes.
Rasika will be seen next in Delhi Crime 2, a sports drama series that’s under post-production, Adhura for Amazon Prime Video, Anshuman Jha’s Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, Karan Gour’s Fairy Folk and Mirzapur 3.
On National Geographic India till August 31.
romal@newindianexpress.com
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