News about cat fights between actresses is not uncommon. And if it is a multi-starrer, lord save the director if his actresses were to share cold vibes on the set. But, the Mission Mangal actresses, Taapsee Pannu, Vidya Balan, Nithya Menen and Kirti Kulhari have a different story to tell. Their off-screen camaraderie is evident in their friendly, easy conversations about random things like getting up early the next day for a promotional event.
Speaking about her admiration for Vidya, Taapsee said, “I watched Dirty Picture and it made me realise that an actress can also be the hero of a film. And, Vidya’s Kahaani me the confidence that I too can be the hero of my films.”
The actresses say they never had any sense of competition on the set. “You see us, five girls, so different from each other, unique and we fit into these certain roles, and this is what we get recognised for,” says Nithya Menen. “I always saw myself as an actor, and an actor should be smaller than a film, the film should be bigger than the actor. I’m only a part of the film, and I think about what I can give to the film,” she adds.
There was no trace of insecurity about a certain actress getting more screen space than the other. Each of them took up the role because they felt like they had something to contribute to the film and they have played their part beautifully.
For Kirti, it was too important a film to let go and she never had second thoughts about the film just because it had so many stars. “Sometimes, as an actor, you just know that being a part of that film will not only add value to the film, but the film will add value to you as well,” she says.
We could possibly credit part of the success of the film to the actors feeling comfortable and secure in their roles and with each other, which is something we would like to see more often in the industry.
