'We shot in real slums'

Actor Sanjjanaa has completed shooting for her film ‘Mandya to Mumbai’, where she portrays the role of a slum dweller. The actor has done everything to render the movie authentic. She has shot in and around the slums in the city.

She says her experience has been rewarding because she not only got a chance to essay a different kind of role but also learnt a lot in the process.  In an interview with Nina C George, Sanjjanaa talks about her experience of shooting for the film and her future projects.  

Your role in the film...

I play the role of an elder sister who works very hard to give her family, especially her speech and hearing impaired younger sister, a good life. She goes through good, bad and ugly experiences to ensure that her sister has a good life, education and enough food to eat. The character is especially interesting because I’ve never played such a role before. The emotions required were new to me.  

We hear you shot in slums...

It is one of the toughest roles I’ve played till date. We shot in real slums and there were times when we had trouble controlling the crowd. We had to complete the shoot and rush into our respective vehicles just to prevent ourselves from getting mobbed.

You seem to have undergone a makeover for your role...

I had to get a tanned look and shed a couple of kilos. The makeup took care of the tanned skin but I had to work hard to get a skinny look. I was given 25 days to shed four kilos. I went on a crash diet and stuck to liquids to attain the required weight. I had to give up all kinds of food temptations which, for me, was hard because I love food.     

What role do you play in ‘Dandupalya 2’?

If ‘Dandupalya’ wasn’t enough to scare people, ‘Dandupalya 2’ has more startling revelations about the gang and intricate details about their operation. I play the role of a cold-blooded murderer who is heartless when it comes to committing crimes. The story is inspired by real-life incidents. Even the smallest details have been included after a lot of research. The script goes beyond the story of the daring ‘Dandupalya’ gang, who walked into people’s homes to commit the most brutal murder.

What drew you to the script?

I believe actors only breathe life into characters envisioned by the director. If the director is good, then the film will do well. The director of ‘Dandupalya 2’ has researched and understood even the smallest detail very well. I can’t give away too much of the script but there are many shocking details that people will get to see in the film.