Never Ending Movie Carnival
Never Ending Movie Carnival
Aditi Bhatpahri: “Hamare Baarah’ is about illiteracy and women safety and its not designed to target any community”
Says actress Aditi Bhatpahri who is making her debut in in ‘Hamare Baarah’ that also stars Annu Kapoor, Ashwini Kalsekar and Manoj Joshi. An IT engineer from NIT Raipur (Chattisgarh), Aditi is set to join the league of Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon (both from engineering background). The girl form Raipur dreams of working with king of romance Shah Rukh Khan and is excited and nervous as her film ‘Hamare Baarah’ based on the topic of over population is releasing this Friday – 14th June 2024.
Aditi Bhatpahri plays the protagonist in ‘Hamare Baarah’ which is already in use for its bold and hard-hitting subject. In a candid no filter conversation Aditi bears it all with Vishal Verma.
Excerpts from the conversation
When did the acting bug bite you?
I had this dream since childhood and at times it seems surreal and you laugh at your dreams considering the fact that I am from Raipur with no background from the film industry living a normal middle-class life, dreams of getting the limelight from the tinsel town. A ‘secured’ career was the top priority and while studying in college, a chance to shoot a music video changed my life. It was for the occasion of college festival. Since childhood I had that creative instinct, I use to take active part in poetry, drama, acting, directed plays and I am into literature as well. I was a topper and did my Engineering for IT Raipur, I am an IT engineer, after engineering I went for competition – UPSC and landed in Delhi. The plan was if I clear the exam in the first year, my parents will be happy and then I can pursue my dreams. A constant feeling that I am missing something very important in my life was running in the air all around. I gave the exam and came to Mumbai with my brother.
How did ‘Hamare Baarah’ landed on your lap
‘Hamare Baarah’ is the result of around two years of vigorous struggle, when I came to Mumbai, I was not the eighteen – nineteen-year-old girl, I was focused and wanted to enhance my craft. I joined Anupam Kher’s acting school and learnt the minutes of the art from there. Then I joined Atul Mathur who has trained stars Vicky Vicky Kaushal, Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor etc. After that began a marathon round of grilling auditions.
Your learnings during the struggle?
The struggle was tough, harsh, ruthless journey that made me to go into the self-doubt mode. You are judged by the way you sit, stand, look, talk, walk, the thought of giving up started entering my mind. But I continued hoping that one day the sun will shine. The feedback from audition is straightforward – yeh kya bakwas hai, type but it also made me work on my dialect. My vocabulary was very Chattisgarhi and slowly I started learning the way it should be, I worked on theharav, lehja and other nuances. Atul Mathur sir helped me a lot.
How did you cope with rejections?
I took it to my ego and tried to figure out what are they saying is missing from my personality. I worked on that and started the journey of making myself better. The rejections were heart breaking but I never let hope die a premature death. It was a lonely struggle and at times I use to cry, I cannot share what is happening with my parents other wise they will ask me to come back immediately, it was very tough, lonely but somehow, I managed the courage to stay alive with hope and dreaming the same every day.
Tell us about your role in ‘Hamare Baarah’
I play the role of a daughter who fights a case against her father for the rights of her mother. My character name is Alfiya daughter of Lucknow based Nawab Sahab (Annu Kapoor). Alfiya’s mother (Ankita Dwivedi – also making her debut) is pregnant for the twelfth time and the rest you will have to watch the film (smiles).
Experience with Annu Kapoor
Annu Kapoor sir is class apart. He really pushes you and makes you deliver your best. He is a renowned award-winning artiste with great command over language, here his Urdu diction was pitch perfect and I had to really work very hard to match to his standards. Annu Kapoor sir is also kind and gives you advice. In come scene was supposed to emotionally react and I did in the best way I can, Annu Kapoor sir told me to change my expression from soft to hard and it really worked. Even Manoj Joshi sir who plays the lawyer from my father’s end complimented me personally on the sets.
What where the reference points for your character Alfiya in ‘Hamare Baarah’?
I stared wearing burkha for a while to get the feel, absorbed the body language, haav bhav of women from Muslim community from the nearby areas, as said earlier I worked on my diction, Urdu, dialect. I have read Quran as well. I watched Pakistani movie ‘Bol’ (2011), series tv series Humsafar (2011) etc as well.
‘Hamare Baarah’ deals with the sensitive issue of population explosion and the movie is centered on Muslim characters, this has trigged a debate and a section is complaining of projecting Muslims in a “provocative and insulting manner” what you have to say
The over population issue is not about religion it’s about illiteracy, I have seen many people who are not Muslims but have more children. Women are made to consume contraceptive pills and men are too inconsiderate about it, they don’t understand the repercussion about it, the many side effects of those pills have to be borne by the women. Just for their five seconds of pleasure the men, the society becomes insensitive. There is a need to spread awareness about this, about contraceptive pills, women safety, women health, according to stats around eight hundred women die daily because of pregnancy issues. A woman goes through many changes after giving birth and she has to go through it again and again and religion is brought into this. When will a life of a woman gain importance in this rigid chauvinist society?
Your favorite actress and your dream to work with?
Alia Bhatt is my favorite actress and my dream is to share screen space with king of romance – Shah Rukh Khan.
Suppose you get your dream association with Shah Rukh Khan but one scene and very important scene. On the other hand, a solo film akin to what Smita Patil did in Manthan what will you choose?
A movie like Manthan needs recognition from all corners so will cajole my heart and will choose Manthan but will continue to pray that my wish to work with Shah Rukh Khan comes true.
But you have dreamt this dream since childhood Aditi?
Chalo toh phir jaha dil lejayega waha chale jayeinge (giggles)
We have made ‘Hamare Baarah’ with lot of heart and hard work, this is my debut film that deals with a socially relevant issue, please do watch and support such cinema for cause. Your honest feedback on my performance will work as a fuel for my future endeavors.
A child born from life & fed by cinema. A filmi keeda from child & a film journalist for the last fifteen years. a father, seeker, foodie who loves crooning bollywood melodies twitter.com/cineblues More By vishal verma