Rangini, my comeback project, is like giving birth to my baby: Gargi Roy Chowdhury

It’s been a while since we last saw you on stage. Isn’t it?

Yes. It’s almost eight years since I last appeared in a play.

After a long gap, you are hitting the stage with a monologue. Tell us a little about the plot.

Well, “Rangini” is the name as you may know. It is about a village girl who comes to the city with her lover. In the beginning, she finds it difficult to cope with city life. She faces many hardships but does not drown in negativity. This is what makes the script interesting. Instead of depicting her depression, she tries to see all her experiences in a wider perspective.

Rangini is about the life and experience of a woman. Did you find any similarity with your own life?

It is not about my life or me. It’s the life of all women and how they react to changes and different situations that come by. As a person, I am very observant. I have seen women fighting over water in the slums or mothers getting furious when their child gets hurt. I have observed them all. Honestly, I would love to have good qualities of both men and women.

Is the name significant in any way? How everything, from script to set, has been worked out?

I am working with the some of the best people in the industry. Director Ujjal Chattopadhyay and I rehearsed for nearly a year before we got our act right.  Bratya Basu is the special advisor and he is fine-tuning the act. Dev and Neel has done the costume while Debojyoti Mishra is in charge of music. Regarding the title of the play, I always wanted something that is simple and to which people can easily relate to. Then Pracheta Gupta gave us this title and I readily agreed.

Since this is a comeback project, how important is this to you?

I will say it is not a dream project but my baby that I am about to give birth to. Just like any caring mother, I want my baby to be absolutely healthy and strong.

Even though you are a seasoned actress performing a one hour ten minutes long monologue might be quite stressful for you?

Not at all. I exercise a lot and an hour and ten minutes is nothing for me. To be precise, I am doing something that is more about projecting reality and in that there is no stress.

If I ask you to choose between cinema and theatre, what will you choose?

I would rather choose acting.

You have been part of both. But in which role do you think the viewers like you the most?

Not only both, I have worked in all forms. On TV as a news anchor, in radio as well. I got into news anchoring in Doordarshan by cracking their exam. In fact, I remember I used to voice over for just fifty rupees during my school days. All these have helped me learn a lot about life and develop as an actor.

Can the audience expect Gargi Roy Chowdhury in such forceful characters in the future?

I am that kind of a person who loves diversity. From “Khad” to “Ramdhanu” to “Haami”, everywhere I have played characters which very different from each other. So it’s not that I will be upholding only a particular genre.

Lastly, your message to all the audience will be?

Keep loving me and appreciating my work. “Rangini” will be staged on 27th May at G.D.Birla Sabhaghar.