Key Points
Chitrangada discovered acting through unexpected modeling opportunity
Sudhir Mishra guided her natural performance approach
Shabana Azmi offered profound insight about acting techniques
Netflix's 'Khakee' marks her recent streaming success
The tip was given to her by veteran actress Shabana Azmi during one of their interactions. Chitrangada recently spoke with IANS, and shared that she was completely lost on the sets of her film ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’ through which she made her foray in cinema.
Recollecting how she got her debut film, she told IANS, “I have not studied acting. I have never done theatre, or anything. It actually was the best coincidence of my life I suppose that I got discovered. I was modeling in Delhi. Director Sudhir Mishra was looking for this girl Geeta Rao (her character in ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’) and they hadn't found one. Lyricist Swanand Kirkire, who at that time was Sudhir’s assistant, was doing all the auditions. I owe him a lot for working with me and making me give a good audition. So that's how it started”.
She further mentioned that during the shoot, she felt very lost as her fellow actors like Kay Kay Menon would talk about emotional graphs and characterization. She being from no acting background felt very out of place on a set which was buzzing with cinema both in terms of language and technicalities.
She continued, “I told Sudhir one day, ‘I don't know what to do’. And, he said, ‘That’s the best thing because all you will do in the scene is react. I don't want you to act’. It was such a beautiful thing. I just hung on to that one line and was like, ‘Oka, so there is nothing missing in me. There is nothing that I am lacking’”.
“I got a chance to work with Shabana Ji in a film later. And I was discussing it with her. And Baman was also there. So we were discussing how I have not gone an acting school or haven't studied acting and all that. And you know what Shabana Ji said? She said the problem with studying acting is that first you learn and then you have to unlearn. So she said you are in the best place because you haven't learnt and you won't have to unlearn. It's a longer process. I feel every actor has their own method”, she added.
‘Khakee: The Bengal Chapter’ streams on Netflix.
Comments:
Priya S.
What a beautiful perspective! Sometimes not having formal training can be an advantage in creative fields. Shabana Azmi's advice about unlearning is so profound. 🙌
Rahul K.
I loved Chitrangada in Khakee! Her performance was so natural. This article makes me appreciate her journey even more. More power to actors who find their own path!
Ananya M.
While I appreciate the sentiment, I do think formal training has its merits too. Many great actors combine natural talent with technique. But it's inspiring to see different paths to success!
Vikram P.
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi was such an underrated gem! Chitrangada was brilliant in it, especially considering it was her debut. Goes to show that raw talent combined with good direction can create magic.
Sneha D.
"Just react, don't act" - what simple yet powerful advice! 😊 Makes me want to watch Khakee tonight to see how she's applied this philosophy in her recent work.
