Tezpur-born Auroshikha Dey is an actor, who made her debut with the 2011 ‘Haat - The Weekly Bazaar’, directed by Seema Kapoor.
Driven by the need to be a part of projects that are though-provoking, she has been seen in movies such as ‘Myoho’, ‘Prem Mayee’, and ‘Points of Origin’. She was last seen in Swati Bhise’s ‘Warrior Queen of Jhansi’. Metrolife spoke with the actor to talk to her about her movie, passion for acting and more:
When did you decide to be an actor?
Actually, I always wanted to be a dancer. It was in college that I realised I could be an actor. I had joined the Dramatic Association, and I felt very connected to this art. My background as a dancer helped me emote and express better on stage. It all began from there.
Is there a reason you don’t do these commercial, mainstream films?
I definitely want to do commercial films. I make my choices based on the script. I want to be a part of films that excite me, and where I get to play a role that is exhilarating. I want to play characters who play a pivotal role in driving the story forward. If such stories come with good filmmakers and production houses, then it would be a cherry on the top.
In your latest ‘Warrior Queen of Jhansi’, you play Jhalkari Bai. How did that come about?
I opened Mumbai Mirror one day and I read about the part of Jhalkari Bai in the movie ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’. As an actor, I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t get the part. It had always been a dream of mine to play this character. But to my surprise, a month later, I got a call for an audition for the same role, in a different film. I auditioned and got through.
How was your experience working for the movie?
I was a wonderful experience. Frankly, I didn’t know much about her until I played the part. I am awestruck by her contributions, and it was an honour to be able to play her. I am glad we are making films that celebrate women’s contributions to the freedom struggle.
What was it like working with Swati Bhise?
It was wonderful. It was her dedication and her impeccable vision that allowed for such a magnanimous project to be put together. As a woman, she was able to extract emotions from all the actors beautifully. To her, the movie was not only about Rani Laxmibhai but also about women involvement.
Any new projects that you are working on right now?
I’m also working on a web series named ‘Flesh’, which is being produced by Siddharth Anand and directed by Danish Aslam. I also have completed a black-and-white one-take film called ‘Lomad’, which is being received very well.