it's happened very early on in my career in the South two films that I was
replaced from you know how difficult that can make your simple not difficult
I see people act all happy and then they're insecure but that's okay when I
just started working when I just moved to Bombay but then I said ah but this is
what it is somebody told me you know you're very
good you're really nice but the problem with you is that you have a generic face
she has made her presence feel down south in the years that she's worked
there and now she's getting the necessary recognition in Bollywood but
the journey has not been devoid of any struggle talking about her own
inspirational journey today and her untold story is Rahul Peterson joining
us only on Pinkvilla welcome Rahul hello how have you been
very good so you know we started this segment and of a personal thing that has
come from us it's a very hard filthy so a lot of people like you you don't want
to become actors and who have had no filmy connections especially in the
industry become very difficult for them to you know even make that first mark or
opportunity get that first opportunity was it difficult for you because you
come from an army' background you were in Miss India but after that has it been
difficult for you see of course it's not easy but what comes easy yeah I just
live in Kandivali and because obviously I could not afford Andheri
or Bandra and also we had a relative in Kandivali and my parents so much it
relaxed because I was just 20 when I shifted and you know I have someone that
is like who's very close by so I used to have a ritz car I would drive every
single day from Kandivali to Bandra to workout with my trainer who's here
get ready they're set out for auditions meetings and get back in the evening I
think five days a week I did that but I never
I never went back with all oh my god it was such a tiring day yeah because I had
to do this really who does do yeah I I wanted to do it right I've always
believed that if you are pursuing your passion then the journey itself is
beautiful you can't use the word difficult you can't be negative about it
yeah but when you were auditioning we're there any times when something mean was
really said to you because a lot a lot of times that happens yeah kaha se aa gai hai
or nothing like that no no it was really decent I wasn't that bad but I just feel
I'm better when it's the camera rolling when I know the role a little better you
know as a person you came here when you were 21 you said 20 20 but tell me at
such a young at such a young age it is difficult to you know brave through
rejections cause there were rejections in the beginning yes was it anytime
heartbreaking for you because you were trying to make your mark um I think
somewhere now and that's a very good question I come from a very solid value
system and my parents have always entrained a lot of self-confidence in me
not overconfidence and there's a line so ever since we were kids they gave us the
freedom of opinion freedom of choice freedom to express our free will like we
were very confident kids I was always very confident of the fact that even if
I don't make it I will do something else because I'm so confident that I will go
back to studies I will do my marketing I will do my MBA but take me for what is
right and I think that confidence when you have things become easier but you
know Rakul I want to ask you this that sexism is a very very big deal that
plagues the industry and society at large especially yeah in the world have
you been a victim of that when in any of the industries especially when it comes
to pay remuneration of the differential treatment
um not differential treatment I think I've been very very well
treated especially you know I think work with good teams and in the South they
actually put women on a pedestal I do understand that actors are huge crowd
pullers and you know the entire film rights on their
shoulders but if it is a film which is riding on a female actor and we need to
stop calling it female centric like up like how in the best thing you you the
you playing the main role central character so now if there's a
Sand ki Aankh or if there is a badla or if there is a chappak coming now
it's those women are playing central characters so you should be paid
accordingly I think it should be what you bring to the table and what's your
involvement and the number of days and time and effort cause honestly you're
also putting in extra effort ever going to the gym to look thin and wear those
tiny clothes and then dance and you know yeah so so I think it's it should be you
have Taapsee is a friend of yours and she had come on this segment and she had
said that the for a period of time because a few films in work down south
she was called in iron and ye hota hai iron leg like yeah and they and golden leg
golden leg is when it works really it has that ever happened to you like
golden leg my first few films were blockbusters and then iron also happened
neither did I believe when you guys called me golden leg
neither do I believe I think just superstitions they're you know you're
making a film with all the right intention it works it doesn't work it's
not in your hand but also because you don't have any connections does it
become difficult to approach people for work but because a lot of actors have
come and said that you know there are times when they want to do a particular
film and they don't get it and because somebody's family makes the call that
happens has that happened to you that happens but then do you remember I mean
I can't name there's no don't didn't mean of course that's happened I've it's
happened very early on in my career in the South two films that I was replaced
from but I'm so glad that happened so early on because it gave me even more so
I'm the kind of person I had this quote in my house
people who try to bury me did not know I was a seed yeah
if my dad was connected and if he was a producer or a director I would have
probably got that first opportunity but having said all of this
I think only if you are talented you'll last but here in Bollywood also that has
happened to you has it ever happened when you've been promised a role and you
almost got it and then this happened like they've just know they've been nice
enough to say that because of different reasons
we are having to opt for another option and I really respect that you know I
just feel that's fine I mean if it was meant for me it'll come to me if it's
not meant to me I honestly believe I'm a God's child
in a lot more ways I'm telling you nayaan and things that I
should all be saying this but things that have not done like that at that
point I felt oh my god I wish I'd done that films they haven't worked and I'm
like thank God you know you were there and things that and even when I look at
things which have not worked and what has happened after I think it's a larger
good so I'm like God I got you you're my friend but do you ever regret leaving
of him like that I don't regret anything along with nepotism one thing that is
very very prevalent in both the industries is camps they're like does it
become difficult then for you to fit in when it becomes like all about campism
why I have not worked with any of the camp yet and I don't know if it's
gonna be difficult or not him no but do you think it's difficult to crack that
to get them to crack it and see if it was difficult or not I did I can't say
it but I think it's such a good space right now yeah as in I think people have
become so accepting of your talent if you look at some of the present stars
Vicki or Anushka Sharma or Taapsee Bhumi Ayushmann they're all non filmy people so
somewhere somebody is giving them out is right so I think it's a great time to
be in the industry finally I'll ask you this because it's been a conversation
for a lot of men and women actually you know the me to movement started last
year and a lot of actors even some film families have come out and like not name
but they have spoken about the kind of propositions that they are faced with in
and outside the industry when you are making your mark in any of the
industries and I'll give you the Liberty to choose whether you want to name them
or not that's your choice have you ever had such an incident if people know that
you're very desperate and they see that we're in an opportunist world human
nature is often opportunist you give somebody a job and you go away and look
away they'll not do their job correctly they want to make more money out of it
that's how we have been conditioned now if that person sees that you are
desperate it's an opportunity they're through now whether you're desperate and
you've given or not is one thing now this is one side of the story I do
understand that when people come and you know I can talk like I said and I also
told you I'm privileged that I had a family that was supporting me many
people don't have that and which is why they feel this is make-or-break but let
me tell you I have always believed nobody is going to cast you in a film or
shell hundreds of crores on you because you're easy yeah it's just probably a
trick and don't fall for it it's all I would say and my heart totally goes out
to people who have fallen prey who have fallen prey and it's really sad
but I think yeah I mean any time has it ever happens that people have actually
criticized you or they have been body image issues not personally not
individually like not internally but because because this is a make or be
make-belief word has they ever been that I wouldn't name but that's happened that's
happened when I just started working when I just moved to Bombay but then I
said ah but this is what it is somebody told me you know you're very good you're
really nice but the problem with you is that you
generic face so I said the problem is now this is the face literally I said
that I love having fun with people like that
I don't like but what do you mean by generic face I also don't know no na abhi naak tedi ho
then you make news about it ya ya kuch ajeeb ho ya surgery karalo
so I was like I don't know but this is what it is right so again
like I said everything stems from your belief in yourself I have always
believed that so I have said and it's okay for someone to feel that way nayan and
you cannot expect everybody well I like me yeah I don't like everybody yeah
might not like that you know I might like a certain actor might not like
another actor but it's okay if someone doesn't like me but I have to love
myself yeah and when you love yourself and when you
accept yourselves I think half the battles also but now that you spoke
about working with actors male-female both tell me something has it ever
happen where you have work with somebody who's been a little insecure and you
have noticed that in the way they behave with you or you know how difficult that
actors make your people not difficult I'd say people act all happy and then
they're insecure but that's okay but isn't it difficult to work with a
difficult actor like Ileana said that when she was working with this actor
that person apparently had I will tell you the name later apparently had a mood
swings every day every you know it would be
like why do they shorten you go back to ganda cuz they're happy nobody's had
mood swings with me and then I actor so don't talk too much which is okay give
them their space some people don't like to talk on set some people like to talk
I made the way you should be able to flow like fluid but you know that is
what you've done them creating your own space in both the world I mean as I do
I'm trying to no but I do think that you have managed to create a space
especially in this one year I think the amount of recognition that you've got is
exemplary and thank you for sharing your journey and I hope this gives more power
to those women who want to be like you someday
oh God thank you so much thank you hi guys this is Rakul and if you like this
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