After impressing audiences with her performance in Laapataa Ladies, actor Pratibha Ranta has been carefully choosing projects that challenge her as an artiste. The film, directed by Kiran Rao, proved to be a breakthrough moment in her career and set high expectations for what she would do next.
Reflecting on the pressure she felt after her debut, Pratibha says, “There was so much love coming in. My debut raised so many standards. I was like: will I ever be able to do something that would achieve what Laapataa did?”
The actor admits that the phase following the film’s release was filled with uncertainty as she read several scripts but struggled to find the right project. Eventually, she found what she was looking for in Accused, directed by Anubhuti Kashyap and backed by Netflix.
Speaking about discovering the project, she shares, “Oh My God, I think I am able to feel myself in this space,” and adds, “During shooting, there was silence on set. Nobody was shouting and it was so rare to see that!”
In Accused, Pratibha plays one half of a lesbian couple whose relationship faces turmoil after one of them is accused of sexual harassment at the workplace. Taking on such an unconventional role early in her career came with its share of doubts from others.
“So many people said ‘are you sure you want to do a film like this? It’s a big risk.’ But I wanted to give it a shot and be in a space where I can differentiate myself as an artiste. I didn’t want to repeat myself. It felt right,” she says.
The film also marks Pratibha’s first collaboration with acclaimed actor Konkona Sen Sharma, known for her nuanced performances and thoughtful choice of roles. Recalling her experience of working alongside Sharma, Pratibha admits she was initially nervous.
“I remember being nervous to meet her. She gave me so much space as an artiste to perform; it helped me. After pack-up, she’d be like let’s go for a walk. I felt it helped us understand each other better and develop comfort, which showed on screen. A secure actor always makes sure that the co-actor also feels safe.”
Talking about the emotional core of the story, Pratibha explains that the film explores the complicated nature of relationships and trust.
“When you love somebody, you give them the benefit of doubt. It’s not easy to instantly believe they can do some wrong,” she says and adds, “You don’t want to give up on them, want to be there till the extreme end.”
After stepping into the intense world of Accused, Pratibha is set to explore another genre with Nikkhil Advani’s upcoming series The Revolutionaries, which will stream on Amazon Prime Video.
More Pages: Accused Box Office Collection , Accused Movie Review
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