Mumbai: Swara Bhaskar, who has made her presence felt in the industry with “Tanu Weds Manu” and “Raanjhanaa”, is all set to push the boundaries again with “Anarkali Aarawali”. Swara plays a singer crooning double meaning songs in the journalist-turned-filmmaker Avinash Das’s movie. “Anarkali Aarawali is a challenging role because I play a singer who sings double meaning lewd songs and is very unapologetic about her sexuality. She considers herself an artist and her work an art. She is a foul mouthed and crass woman with fiery spirit.
“But, she is still vulnerable in a volatile and violent world that sees women like her as mere objects. We also have to be as real as we can to the story and the context without becoming gimmicky or sleazy,” Swara said in an interview. The “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo” actress says not crossing the thin line between being sensual and sleazy was a tough task. “A script like this is a challenge because it’s the story of an orchestra singer from Bihar from the town called Aarah which very known for politics and crime.
“It is the story of Anarkali, who’s the small star of Aarah who sings double-meaning and lewd sort of songs in villages weddings or celebrations and how a certain incident happens with her and then her journey henceforth. It’s a brilliant script and a very challenging role.” Swara travelled to Aara to meet the local singers of the region and went through various diction workshops.
“I was very nervous about this role as it was a totally unknown world for me. I started off by going to Aaraa and roaming the town. Getting a feel of the flavour, pace and culture of the town also the language/ dialect.
“In the market I found a board saying ‘Munni orchestra party’ I followed the stairs and went and met a group of such women singers. I shopped at local shops and tried to imagine a life in the city. I then came back to Bombay and did workshops but I still feel unprepared every morning when I wake to shoot,” she said.
Apart from “Anarkali Aarawali” the other film which Swara is excited about is “Nil Batey Sannata”, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari.
