No one is making bad content today, the raise is from good to outstanding: Neha Dhupia

 

Former Miss India Neha Dhupia has a reputation of being outspoken and bindaas both off and on screen. The reputation which she takes pride in. Seen in movies like ‘Devi’, ‘Tumhari Sulu’, ‘Hindi Medium’ her latest role is that of a pregnant cop in the OTT movie ‘A Thursday’. In conversation with Lokmat Times, the mother of two Neha speaks about her role as a mother, her recent release and her content on OTT platforms. 

You are playing a pregnant cop in ‘A Thursday’, how did your experience as a mother  come handy as a pregnant cop? 

There is a huge correlation between being a pregnant mom and being an actor at work. For both it is putting the work first, both my character and I are risk taking. My role as a mother came in when I read the script. It was extremely thrilling, with a fear element since it was about taking kids hostage. That's when the mother in me kicked in. There is a line where it said that my job needs me and I have to be there so, just as an actor I have the same attitude that my job needs me and I have to be there.   

How is Neha Dhupia a person and how has motherhood changed you? 

As a person I am somebody if I set my mind on something I will go ahead and do it. One thing that has changed in me is my children have made me choose the right work in cinema. The fact that I have to leave behind my children for work, it should definitely be worth it. They teach me time management and they have taught me love and patience like never before. 

You played a cop in ‘Sanak’, are there any similarities? 

Both are absolutely different films, a common string as far as characterisation is concerned is that I am playing a cop in both. However, in ‘A Thursday’ I am playing a pregnant cop doing things which expects a lot out of me even physically, I am doing it carefully and with ease. At the same time in ‘Sanak’ she is not as risk taking, she has personal turmoil, here she is pregnant and she keeps everything aside for call of duty. 

Do you think OTT has become a game changer today? 

Yes, the end product is for every kind of consumer. Earlier when movies were made people had to spend money and go to the cinema to catch a film, now with just one time subscription they can watch content from across the world. So, you want to give them the content worth their time. Now, even on a bad day, the film industry is coming up with great content. The content is now from good to outstanding, nobody is making bad content nowadays. There will be critics and people analyzing content and I respect that because they are doing their job. But it is only going to make things better. 

What has changed, the audience or the makers?

The makers today are competing with content from across the globe. They are trying to grasp an audience that is used to consuming fantastic content. Earlier the comparison was with the earlier Friday but today we can watch a soap opera from Korea, a Hollywood film, a short film from Germany, so when a viewer has such great content from across the globe why would he choose a content from Bollywood, it has to have something promising. So, the makers are conscious and are making great content also because they are consuming great content as an audience. 

Tell us more about the movie and your role? 

I play the role of a pregnant cop ACP Catherine Alvarez It’s a hostage drama, where 16 kids are taken hostage by a school teacher Naina Jaiswal, played by Yami Gautam. Dimple Kapadia plays the Prime Minister, Atul Kulkarni is a fellow cop and Maya Serao is playing a journalist. 

How important has social media become for an actor today? 

It’s a very important voice, you can put yourself out there as much as I want. I for one put a large part of myself out there. If I am in the mood to introduce my character, I do it, sometimes I put myself out as an influencer, if I have a voice, I raise it, if I have an emotion I express it. I use it in every way possible. 

What other projects are you working on?

I will start working on a comedy film on March 1 and then I have commercials and endorsements. And then the most important job of being a mother is there. 

You come across an outspoken person on screen. Are you similar off screen?

I do speak my mind, I am not sure if it is always used in the right context. But it is very liberating to speak your mind and be yourself. I hope people learn a thing or two from this.