Actress Rajshri Deshpande will be seen as Savitribai Phule in the Marathi film titled Satyashodhak. Directed by Nilesh Jalamkar, the film is scheduled to release on January 5. The Free Press Journal caught up with Rajshri for an exclusive interview.
Opening up about the film, Rajshri gushes, "I shot this film six years back and I am so glad it is finally seeing the light of the day. Savitribai’s journey is very close to my heart and I hope I did justice to my role. Satyashodhak is also my first full-fledged Marathi film. It is based on a huge subject and there hasn't been a film like this before. Regional films are doing really well. There are some directors who are trying to mount some great projects. So it's a good space to be in."
'OTT space is more realistic'
Rajshri, who has been a part of web shows like Trial By Fire, Fame Game and Sacred Games, reveals what attracted her towards the OTT space. "Online streaming platforms have given space to filmmakers who are roping in great talents. OTT space is more realistic. Documentaries have also got a huge space on streaming platforms. Working in an out-and-out commercial film was not a space for an actor like me. There was a time when actors above a certain age didn't get that kind of space. OTT has given us that," Rajshri shares.
She adds, "To work on OTT, you don't have to be a certain way, have a certain height or figure. You can just be you. You feel you are getting that kind of validation and you feel accepted."
Born in Aurangabad, Rajshri pursued her education in Pune. With a passion for acting, she engaged in theatre before coming to Mumbai to make a place for herself in the film industry. Recalling the rejections she faced during her initial acting days, Rajshri says, "What I learned is that you should not take rejections seriously as that's not the actual life. Whenever I used to give auditions, I used to learn from them. Rejections will happen but at least you will know that you gave a good audition and then got rejected. People always notice how hard you have worked for a character and they remember you for that. Hard work always pays off. In this industry, there are many people who want to work with passionate people and it's because of them I'm getting work today."
Rajshri on constant chatter around her intimate scene in Sacred Games
Recently, Rajshri made headlines when she recalled being labelled a 'porn actor' due to viral intimate scenes in Sacred Games. Despite her involvement in various compelling projects, she expresses dissatisfaction with being primarily recognised for her role in Sacred Games. "Everyone wants to talk about it, they don't want to know anything else. I speak a lot about farmers and social issues. I have done other interesting work too but nobody wants to talk about those characters or headline them. It's wrong. I think the media is at fault here because they constantly publish such kind of content. I spoke about so many other things in the same interview but no one wrote about that. This is something which the other actresses also face. I feel very bad," Rajshri rues.
'I would never work with people who...'
Opening up about her approach when it comes to signing a project, Rajshri reveals, "It has to be written properly and should not be derogatory in any way for any community. How my character will be portrayed is also important. The team also has to be good and empathetic. Also, if we talk about equality and diversity, how much do we actually follow? I was working on a film for which we were shooting in a snowy area and there was no vanity van for the costume department. People were sitting outside on metal boxes. It's wrong. If the team doesn't have empathy for the crew or doesn't give them respect, I would not work with such people. The disparity is everywhere and it's only we who can change it. You just have to stand up for your people and say that it is wrong. You don't have to scream and scream and shout but put your point across in a kind way."
On a concluding note, Rajshri hopes she gets good opportunities in 2024. "Going forward, I definitely want to work on interesting projects. I don't do too much work. I also don't like to do two to three projects at the same time. I'm doing some interesting films this year, let's see what happens. I would like to travel the world with my films and represent our country on a bigger and better platform. I want to talk about our cinema everywhere," she signs off.
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