“I am very fond of natural acting….” Vandana Gupte
In the Marathi films category, of Screen Award 2007, Best Actor (female) was bagged by Vandana Gupte for her performance in “Maatichya Chuli . Daughter of the erstwhile and renowned classical singer Manik Varma, Vandana Gupte’s is an acclaimed and award-winning theatre artist. Marathi audiences have seen and enjoyed her performances for over 30 years. In an exclusive interview with Mumbaibuzz.com, Vandana Guptespoke to Anita Padhye about Screen Award, her films, Plays & herself.
Q. How are you feeling on getting the Best Actress Screen Award for Matichya Chuli?
A. I am very glad on receiving this prestigious award. It is very important for me to know that Screen felt I am deserving of this award, it is a great feeling.
Q. Were you confident about getting this award?
A. No not at all because there were other artists who were nominated for this award & they also were very good in their respective roles.
Q. What is your character in ‘Matichya Chuli’?
A. I have played the typical mother in law in the film. There is always a conflict between the mother in law & daughter in law because every mother feels after marriage she loses hold over her son & he is slipping from her hands.
Q. How did you prepare for the role?
A. This is a very casual emotional situation of our social life. I always have a simple & sober approach towards my roles. I am very fond of natural acting. I don’t like to be loud & dramatic. The character of the mother in law portrayed in TV serials are very loud & dramatic, I didn’t want to play my role like that.
Q. Don’t you feel that you entered the film industry very late?
A. I am very choosy about my roles. That’s why I kept myself away from Hindi films, since they are very typical & to some extents meaningless roles for the character artists. Even when I was at the peak of my career there was the era of Laxmikant Berde & Ashok Saraf movies & there was no scope for the female characters. So I didn’t even give a thought to do Marathi films. I have also been choosy about my plays. I have played only those roles, which I liked. Theatre has always kept me busy, that is why I have done very few films.
Q. Are you more comfortable doing plays than films?
A. Very true but after working in some films, I am comfortable in front of the camera. Now I am familiar about the camera, & other technical things.
Q. At present you are working in which play or movie?
A. Right now I am not doing any plays but I am working in one Hindi film titled “ Meera Bai Not Out” it is a Pritish Nandy’s production & Chandrakant Kulkarni is directing it. My co-stars in the said film are Mandira Bedi & Mahesh Manjarekar. I am playing the character of an old woman. It is a very interesting role which I cannot reveal much about.
Q. What are your future plans?
A. I am looking for a very good script for a Marathi play & most interesting thing is I am going to produce a small budget Hindi feature film. It will go on the floors the moment the artists are finalized, it will directed by Mr. Mohit Za, with whom I worked in the Hindi serial “ Karrena Kareena”. I & my younger sister Rani, are doing a show titled “Tee” it is based on a women’s journey from a daughter to grand mother. I am also performing a one act show titled “Maan Vandana” which is based on my professional as well as personal life.
