sunita rajwar: Aamir Khan's film 'Missing Ladies' has been selected for the Oscar Award for 2025. This discussion had not stopped yet that another Hindi film 'Santosh' has also joined the race. But this film has been sent to the Oscars not by India, but by Britain, because its producers are foreign. Panchayat fame actress Sunita Rajwar has been an important face of this film. Highlights of the conversation with Urmila Kori on her association with this film and her journey till being included in the Oscar entry.
Your film Santosh is going to Oscar. What was your first reaction after hearing this?
There is no bigger award in films than Oscar. That's the last stop. The film 'Santosh' is reaching there. I think it would be a matter of great happiness and honor for any artist. When I came to know, there was no limit to my happiness. It was like surprising happiness.
How did the film 'Santosh' reach you?
This film reached me through casting. Mukesh Chhabra's team had contacted me. The specialty of a foreign film is that there the director takes the audition, so the same happened in this film too. Director Sandhya Suri had taken our audition. I would like to tell you that before me they had auditioned many people for my role, which included many popular faces. I met him at the very end. He might have seen one of my clips from the Panchayat.
The story of this film is Indian, but its makers are foreign. In such a situation, how has he done justice to the Indian story during the making of the film?
I would like to tell that the producers of this film are completely foreign and everyone knows that the producers do not have that much involvement in the making of the film. Santosh's director is Sandhya. Sandhya is of Indian origin. His family lived in Meerut only. Because of which despite being from England, she has always been associated with Indian things. It is not so that he came from England and made a film. He has done a lot of research. He has done research work for 2 to 3 years. She also met a lot of police officers during this period. He has worked very minutely on the concept of this film.
What kind of challenge did this character pose to you?
The tone of my character in this film had to be kept very low and natural. In most of the projects till now, I had to keep my tone very loud, because my character was like that. Many times while doing comedy you have to present your points in that way.
The director, writer and story of this film are women-oriented. When a woman is involved in every important department of the film, how special does the project become?
I never believe in gender discrimination. I think human emotions are the same. Having said this, I would also say that yes, our society has male-dominated thinking. In such a situation, when a women-oriented film is directed by women, they are able to say it with more sensitivity. I cannot deny this.
What issues are raised in this film?
Our society runs on two genders, male and female. There are also disparities between them. No one can deny this. Along with these inequalities, this film also takes a dig at the system.
The second actress of the film, Shahana Goswami has said that during the shooting of this film, you guys had to face a lot of sun and rain?
I had shot Panchayat in more sunlight than this. The panchayat was shot in the scorching afternoon of June. We shot the patchwork of the film Kedarnath in Mumbai in the month of May. That too wearing a cap, sweater and muffler. I don't consider sun, rain and cold as a challenge for acting. For a character, if I have to wear fake legs, speak with a stammer, become blind or anything else, I consider them as challenges.
Will this film open doors for you for foreign films as well?
In my experience of so many years, I have understood that film is a business. If someone gives me a big role and he will get business from it then he will give me the role, otherwise no one will give me any work. I know so many actors who are sitting idle at home even after getting the National Award. The biggest benefit I can get from the film 'Santosh' is that it has become my comedy image. She will break this film that I can do intense characters also. As the film progresses towards the Oscars. That may attract the attention of other makers to me. Maybe things may change after that, but it is too early to say anything right now.
What do you have to say about the competition with the missing ladies?
The producers of the film are Mike Goodridge, James Bowsher, Balthazar De Ganne and Alan McAlex, so they sent our film from England to the Oscars. 'Missing Ladies' have gone from India. I don't know about the competition, I can definitely say that this is a story of Indian origin. The makers of this are Indians. The actor is also completely Indian. The shooting was also done in Lucknow, so I think if I get an Oscar, it will be an honor for India.