Rasika Dugal does not naturally fall into the category of being the traditional film heroine and perhaps that is what distinguishes her from the pack. The actress, who normally gives off a very subdued tone off-screen, began her acting career with a modest part in the 2007 movie Anwar. One look at her portfolio reveals a variety of films like Aurangzeb (2013), Qissa (2013), and The Train Station (2015), to name a few. A few projects later, the critically praised movie Manto arrived, in which she co-starred with Nawazzuddin Siddiqui. The limelight eventually shifted to her with her breakout performance in the phenomenally successful series Mirzapur in 2018, when she played Beena Tripathi, and the rest, as they say, is history. Six years later, Rasika Dugal is considered one of our finest talents. According to her, "her best is yet to come." With the third season of Mirzapur just around the corner, the actress is filled with gratitude for the audience's ability to propel a show to new heights. She gushes. "There’s not a day that goes by when people don’t ask me, ‘Mirzapur 3 kab aa raha hai’. It is very heartwarming and encouraging to be a part of a show that has made you connect with so many people and such a wide audience. In my career, Mirzapur is the show that has done that for me and I hope the audience never gives up on us.”
Looking at her, it's hard to fathom the fact that Rasika portrays a theeka character like Beena Tripathi so easily on screen. She laughs it off when you say you can’t see an ounce of Beena in her currently. Rasika says it's expected of an actor to be what they are not. They have to encompass every layer of their character and lose themselves in the process. She adds that she had a great time being Beena. "I think Beena is very clever; she is a very smart woman. She knows exactly what to say and to whom. That comes from a place of extreme emotional intelligence. A place where you know a certain person’s insecurities and strengths and how to use them to your advantage. She could be an intelligence officer in an alternate universe. She knows exactly what she wants and how to make that happen."
Rasika is one of the few actors who has been given the opportunity to work in a variety of genres. She has a number of new projects lined up for her, ranging from a sports drama to a black comedy to a dramedy, and her most recent supernatural thriller, Adhura, has received excellent reviews. Rasika reveals herself to be just like us, admitting to being easily frightened. Adhura was one series she undertook for the pure joy of venturing outside of her comfort zone, as well as the obvious reason for its wonderful storyline. When asked if she had any reservations about starting a horror series, she says, "No, I was quite interested in doing it because it's a horror series, considering I'll be experimenting with a new genre. Last year, I believe I was thoroughly immersed in the genre's experimental phase. Adhura was an experiment, followed by a sports drama series."
That seamless transition from a horror show to an outright drama needs a huge amount of willpower, as well as a suspension of disbelief. She discusses how, as an actor, it's all about believing what's going on around you and reacting appropriately. Whether in a creepy or highly emotional situation, what she believes and how she reacts as an actor is what matters and she never finds it difficult to do projects of varied genres back-to-back because she can easily disconnect from her roles. But it’s not always easy. She had a hard time shrugging off her character’s skin in Adhura. In the series, she plays a counsellor who is going through a lot of emotional turmoil. Such characters frequently have a negative impact on one's mental state. "I think I was scared when I read the story, and usually when I'm shooting, I do the lines for the next day before I go to sleep. I couldn't do it with Adhura. I had to complete those tasks by 5:30 p.m. It's not only frightening, but it's also a very sad story." She listened to upbeat songs, talked to her friends, watched a silly rom-com—in short, she did everything in her power to lighten her mood before sleeping, but she confesses there were times when she didn’t have a good sleep as she was overwhelmed with grief and melancholy.
She is one of those actors who needs time to prepare for each character. While some characters, such as the one in Adhura, may take some time to shake off, others will most likely be easier. In each case, basic preparation is required. "As long as I get the prep time I need for a project, which varies depending on the project, sometimes I need more, and sometimes I need less. Some roles require extra time since you are unfamiliar with them. Talking about Delhi Crime, she says, "I didn't know anything about the police force in Delhi, so I had to spend additional time trying to figure it out. Then, in Mirzapur, it's not so much about the profession as it is about this woman and her personality. Then there are accents to learn. So fundamental preparation time is important," she points out.
Today, the actress has some of the most substantial assignments available to her, with meaty roles that she can sink her teeth into. Her most recent projects, Out of Love, Delhi Crime, which also received the prestigious Emmy Award,and A Suitable Boy, have all added feathers to her cap for the diverse variety they display. When asked which character she most relates to onscreen, she smiles and says, "I do relate to Neeti Singh from Delhi Crime a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing how her adventure progresses from season to season. Mira Kapoor from Out of Love is also someone I identify with,” she states.
In Out of Love, she plays Mira Kapoor, a wife who learns of her husband's extramarital affair and sets out on a perilous quest to discover the truth. She has a great deal of sympathy for Meera. She says it came to her at a time when she was manifesting a project where she'd be given the top billing. "I just wanted to understand if I can still be interesting when I am on every frame of a show.” She says she was assailed by self-doubt, and decided to start reading Out of Love to see whether it challenged her capabilities as an actor. It turned out that she didn't need to do much prep for the role as it was so well-written. "Mira is such an author-backed part; it was one of those roles for which I didn't need to do much preparation. It all came down to believing what was written and sticking with it. She is one of those individuals who possesses both a compassionate and a steadfast side. It seemed like something to which I could connect. Because I am like that in real life. In fact, I’m starting to resemble Mira more and more," she reveals.
With time, she has made a name for herself as a strong female character with eye-catching content that viewers can immediately relate to. But does she has a favourite genre? "Usually it would be drama," she quips, adding that’s her particular favourite when it comes to binge watching. “Additionally, I adore romantic comedies. I love Yash Raj's rom-coms. I also like spy dramas.” While we can’t see her as a Yash Raj heroine, Rasika grins and says she’d love to drape herself in a chiffon saree and traipse around snow clad mountains at least once on screen. We leave her with her fantasies, maybe her power of manifestation will make that possible as well. Fingers crossed! More on: Rasika Dugal
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