Way back in 2009, when Mahie Gill was working in her breakout film Dev D, she had doubts about her unconventional role. She played the role of a bold and brazen Paro in a modern adaptation of Devdas by Anurag Kashyap. Eleven years later, she is happy to see that Dev D belongs to the genre of content that the OTT audience is lapping up now.
The actress will be seen in a face-off with Bhumi Pednekar in Durgamati, the horror thriller that releases today. Mahie plays a CBI officer, a role very different from her past work in films like Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster and Dev D. The role was quite challenging for her, she says, as she is used to doing realistic films, and this one is a horror thriller.
Having worked in web series like Apharan, Fixerr and the web movie Posham Pa, Mahie is happy to see Durgamati reach the audience via a streaming platform. Excerpts from an interview:
What made you take up the role in Durgamati?
Our director G. Ashok had seen my films and was really interested in working with me. As an actor this was a new genre for me, I had not played a CBI officer earlier. I was quite excited because this was a very different role for me. People who have seen the trailer, they said they are loving the look. In fact, I got a lot of feedback from people who said that I am looking very different. That is what I wanted to hear.
Since this is a horror thriller, was the shooting experience different?
I would leave my vanity van and sit outside because the whole artwork, set designing and camera work was so amazing. And then I got to work with amazing actors. Bhumi and I have such interesting scenes, there was a nice give and take. If you have a good actor in front the work becomes more enjoyable.
How difficult or different was the role?
This role was quite difficult for me because I have been doing realistic films. My dialogue delivery was very different in other films. But here, in the interrogation scenes, the way you speak, the way you conduct yourself is very, very different. So it was quite challenging for me. I am from an army background so I was familiar with the body language and expressions. I am a disciplined person myself, so that really helped.
Now that the film is releasing on Amazon Prime Video instead of theatres, are you disappointed?
The way the film has been made, I was hoping that it releases on the big screen. But at the same time OTT is the future and reaching the people is important. The subject is such that people will love. The pandemic time has taught us that the situation is in nobody’s hands. All these months we’ve been watching stuff on OTT only. I’m quite content and relieved that the film is releasing and reaching the audience.
You have always been part of slightly unconventional films, and that is the kind of content OTT platforms are making now.
When I did Dev D, I did not know that is going to be the future. I had grown up watching glamourous actresses in Yash Raj Films, and while doing Dev D I was wondering, ‘What am I doing?’. I didn’t know at that point that this is going to be the future, people will want to do interesting and strong roles like this. OTT is now the platform where everyone wants to be. It is the best time and so much work is happening in this medium.
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