Monika Panwar: I felt I had done something good when I got a call from Aamir Khan after Jamtara – Exclusive | Hindi Film News
Monica Panwar has previously proved her acting prowess in projects like ‘Super 30’, ‘Jamtara’, ‘Class of 83’ and ‘Mast Mein Rene Ka’. She will be playing the lead role in the upcoming film ‘Dukaan’, directed by Siddharth Garima, who is known for films such as ‘Toilet – Ek Prem Katha’, ‘Raabta’ and ‘Ram-Leela’, which is scheduled to release on April 5.
In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Monica spoke candidly about her preparation to play a surrogate mother in Dukaan, her five-year journey as an actor receiving praise from Aamir Khan, and the challenges of the film industry.
What made you decide to take on the role of Dukan?
You go through many things, but especially in Dukan’s case, the most important one was the script. Because Siddharth Garima has written a strong script. The writing is impactful and there is something unusual about the depiction of the female characters. They write it with all their might, but at the same time they also give this character a kind of eccentric quality. I mean, they gave everything to the characters and the story, all the arcs, the graphs, the emotional range. So, after reading the script, I asked myself, how do I do this? So I was in this situation, when I’m not relaxed as an actor, when I’m confused as an actor, I’m always worried, I’m always thinking about how to defuse this scene. Well, that scene. I was in such a state that I said yes to Dukan.
Did you have any apprehensions when preparing for the character? Did you do any research on pregnant women to add realism to the role?
yes. What was important to me when I was preparing the character was that Dukan’s story has a Gujarati background. Siddharth Garima wanted this character to have a certain accent or dialect to speak of. So first I did all the readings with them. My favorite part is going to the actual locations where filming took place and this story is based. I went to Anand and spent at least 2-3 weeks with the surrogates there, where all the surrogate mothers live. It’s like a different community. Just watching them, just being there, just seeing Anand, just absorbing the city and the people there, it’s like an eye-opening experience. Yes, this is the process and we went to the actual location and did it this way.
Do you imagine yourself becoming a mother in the future and experiencing similar emotions in your role?
Well, I think I did almost the opposite of that. So I think it’s okay now. Because as an actor, that’s what you do, and that’s what gives you joy in bringing out emotions that you’ve never felt before. So I think it’s just tapping into the feeling of experiencing all of motherhood and getting all of the maternal instincts, what is that, what is motherly love, what kind of love is it? Is it? So I’m totally fine with that because I’m experiencing that in movies. I think it’s fine as long as it’s on the screen. I don’t really know, but it’s okay. Expressing all the reality on screen.
What do you personally think about surrogacy and egg freezing, considering the increasing use of surrogacy and egg freezing to have children in Bollywood?
I think this is the best thing. If this technology is giving you hope, why not take advantage of it? Especially when it comes to surrogacy and egg freezing. When it comes to surrogacy, I think it’s good if they maintain all the rules and regulations so that no party is exploited. Because from the surrogate mother’s point of view, the surrogate mother also makes a living. Who gives birth to children, to whom all hopes, all the joys of life are acquired. And when it comes to egg freezing, we all know this, as if a biological clock is ticking. So if technology can offer you so much, why wouldn’t you? So I think that’s a really good thing.
Can you share some of your positive, negative and difficult experiences in the Bollywood industry?
I’ve been in this industry for five years. I’m part of this industry. All I can tell you is like a good review. And people often get upset every time I say no. This industry is a very good industry. I have no bad experience. Because they are like “kuch toh hoga”. That’s all that matters, people always think this industry is like, yaha, aisa hota hai, waisa hota hai, they have all the assumptions, they assume a lot. . But I’m an example of that, and I think just because I haven’t experienced something doesn’t mean some things don’t exist. Of course, there are some roles due to some big cast members. There are many, but it is still prevalent. I’m not saying I’m ignoring it. I am aware of this. But abhi tak meri jitni bhi jani rahi hai, I had the best experience. Of course, due to some big cast, there are also some jo apko nahi gay roles. You know, there’s a lot of it, but it’s still prevalent. I’m not saying I’m ignoring it. I am aware of this. However, I don’t think this will be a negative experience. Mira, I’m so happy that I had the opportunity to work with the best director and the best production company, and that you ended up playing something that I had always wanted to do. I’m glad, something very substantive and something very creative, representing a woman’s jiski ek awas ho. I am from the theater department of the National School of Drama. Then I moved to Bombay and started auditioning. The entire cast is chahewo jobiho, kisnebi kabi koi batamiji sebat nahikiya. I think the biggest reason is that I was clear about the work I wanted to do. So what I’m saying is that aapke experiences kahina his kahi, aapke experiences kaise ho newa waare his hain and it also depends on aapke’s thought process kitna clear hai. So I think it’s better to work on yourself, ki aisa ho gaya, yaa aisa ho gaya, than to immediately blame others afterwards.
What praise or criticism have you received that has affected you most and deeply?
I’m a very neutral person and I’m always okay with happy moments. Even if I’m sad, I’ll be okay. I’m quite self-critical. Mujhe abhi tak mera koi bhi kam pasand nahi aaya hai whether it is Jamtara or Chona or mast mein rene ka. I never liked my job. So no one can criticize me more than me. But as with praise, the first validation I seek is within myself. But of course phir kabhi kabhi hota hai ki, aapki audience responds with kar hi hai and usse zyada kabhi kabhi kisi ke calls aa jata hai. So I remember after Jamtara Aamir sir called Kiya Taa, it was like the biggest thing. So, kahi na kahi, aisa lagta hai ki haan, Shayad, you must have done something good. That’s why he’s calling you. However, I don’t think anyone’s criticism affected me much.
How would you describe your childhood and how did you adapt to changes as you grew up?
I am from this beautiful hill station, a small town called New Tehri, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. I don’t know, main aapko jada bata paungi ya nahi, but there are a lot of people mainly from hilly areas, ya fil jo wahan se hote hai, they are very naive. And I think the best thing about it is that it has very strong roots, and that’s what it is. I want to keep it alive. Please help me with Karta Hai. Jab-a-a-pu-na, first and second project carte ho, you have a certain kind of innocence, but then when you do a lot of work, you lose that innocence. So what I strive for is to keep that innocence intact and stay grounded and humble. That’s what I got out of it and what I can say. My family, my childhood and where I was born, it always makes me feel very grounded. When I go there today, I see people who have no desire to improve themselves. They are very relaxed and find joy in the little things. I mean, my childhood was like that.
Were your parents supportive of your career decisions?
Yes, they are very happy now and everything is going well. But before, I wouldn’t say they weren’t cooperative. But Ekjo’s parents couldn’t understand what I was saying because we were from a very small town. I come from a family of teachers, engineers, and doctors, so all actors have to remember who they are. Previously they were not supportive, but when I joined the National Drama School, I thought, “Unko thoda sa confidence aaya hai ki”, ok, I’m on the right path. I did.
What do you enjoy most about acting in the film industry and what do you find most rewarding?
There are many things. But I think the fundamental thing about acting is that it makes you more grounded as a human being and allows you to understand human connections and the universe as a whole on a very deep level. The hard part is that all creative work is very unpredictable. There is a lot of uncertainty and we don’t know what works today may not work tomorrow. Therefore, this unpredictable nature is very depressing. In other fields, the logic is very clear that if you are good at studying, you can get into any university and get good conditions. But that’s not the case with acting. Some actors, even if they are good at acting, cannot play the role. So it works in a completely different way. They are very good actors, as are some of my friends and acquaintances. There are many good and beautiful actors in Bombay, but they still don’t have work. So this is what makes me sad. And this is the scary thing about the movie industry.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
If I just wanted to correct some behavior, I’d ask my younger self to read more literature. Because when I was 18 or 19 years old, I was far away from literature. And today I’m almost bookish. I seem to be an avid reader. That’s why I always regret it.
Who is your biggest mentor or supporter in the industry?
Especially since, like everyone, I don’t have a godfather in the industry. Looking back now, there is no one I would like to thank and say, “I am here because of you.” I think they are here because of me. But as a supporter, I think it’s all the people I’ve worked with, Viacom, Vijay Maurya Productions, and all the production companies like Matchbox Shorts. It’s because there are such courageous works and because the producers are people like us that newcomers are given a chance. So, to me, they are supporters who are betting on you. These are the people in industry that I look up to in life.
In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Monica spoke candidly about her preparation to play a surrogate mother in Dukaan, her five-year journey as an actor receiving praise from Aamir Khan, and the challenges of the film industry.
What made you decide to take on the role of Dukan?
You go through many things, but especially in Dukan’s case, the most important one was the script. Because Siddharth Garima has written a strong script. The writing is impactful and there is something unusual about the depiction of the female characters. They write it with all their might, but at the same time they also give this character a kind of eccentric quality. I mean, they gave everything to the characters and the story, all the arcs, the graphs, the emotional range. So, after reading the script, I asked myself, how do I do this? So I was in this situation, when I’m not relaxed as an actor, when I’m confused as an actor, I’m always worried, I’m always thinking about how to defuse this scene. Well, that scene. I was in such a state that I said yes to Dukan.
Did you have any apprehensions when preparing for the character? Did you do any research on pregnant women to add realism to the role?
yes. What was important to me when I was preparing the character was that Dukan’s story has a Gujarati background. Siddharth Garima wanted this character to have a certain accent or dialect to speak of. So first I did all the readings with them. My favorite part is going to the actual locations where filming took place and this story is based. I went to Anand and spent at least 2-3 weeks with the surrogates there, where all the surrogate mothers live. It’s like a different community. Just watching them, just being there, just seeing Anand, just absorbing the city and the people there, it’s like an eye-opening experience. Yes, this is the process and we went to the actual location and did it this way.
Do you imagine yourself becoming a mother in the future and experiencing similar emotions in your role?
Expanding
What do you personally think about surrogacy and egg freezing, considering the increasing use of surrogacy and egg freezing to have children in Bollywood?
I think this is the best thing. If this technology is giving you hope, why not take advantage of it? Especially when it comes to surrogacy and egg freezing. When it comes to surrogacy, I think it’s good if they maintain all the rules and regulations so that no party is exploited. Because from the surrogate mother’s point of view, the surrogate mother also makes a living. Who gives birth to children, to whom all hopes, all the joys of life are acquired. And when it comes to egg freezing, we all know this, as if a biological clock is ticking. So if technology can offer you so much, why wouldn’t you? So I think that’s a really good thing.
Can you share some of your positive, negative and difficult experiences in the Bollywood industry?
I’ve been in this industry for five years. I’m part of this industry. All I can tell you is like a good review. And people often get upset every time I say no. This industry is a very good industry. I have no bad experience. Because they are like “kuch toh hoga”. That’s all that matters, people always think this industry is like, yaha, aisa hota hai, waisa hota hai, they have all the assumptions, they assume a lot. . But I’m an example of that, and I think just because I haven’t experienced something doesn’t mean some things don’t exist. Of course, there are some roles due to some big cast members. There are many, but it is still prevalent. I’m not saying I’m ignoring it. I am aware of this. But abhi tak meri jitni bhi jani rahi hai, I had the best experience. Of course, due to some big cast, there are also some jo apko nahi gay roles. You know, there’s a lot of it, but it’s still prevalent. I’m not saying I’m ignoring it. I am aware of this. However, I don’t think this will be a negative experience. Mira, I’m so happy that I had the opportunity to work with the best director and the best production company, and that you ended up playing something that I had always wanted to do. I’m glad, something very substantive and something very creative, representing a woman’s jiski ek awas ho. I am from the theater department of the National School of Drama. Then I moved to Bombay and started auditioning. The entire cast is chahewo jobiho, kisnebi kabi koi batamiji sebat nahikiya. I think the biggest reason is that I was clear about the work I wanted to do. So what I’m saying is that aapke experiences kahina his kahi, aapke experiences kaise ho newa waare his hain and it also depends on aapke’s thought process kitna clear hai. So I think it’s better to work on yourself, ki aisa ho gaya, yaa aisa ho gaya, than to immediately blame others afterwards.
What praise or criticism have you received that has affected you most and deeply?
I’m a very neutral person and I’m always okay with happy moments. Even if I’m sad, I’ll be okay. I’m quite self-critical. Mujhe abhi tak mera koi bhi kam pasand nahi aaya hai whether it is Jamtara or Chona or mast mein rene ka. I never liked my job. So no one can criticize me more than me. But as with praise, the first validation I seek is within myself. But of course phir kabhi kabhi hota hai ki, aapki audience responds with kar hi hai and usse zyada kabhi kabhi kisi ke calls aa jata hai. So I remember after Jamtara Aamir sir called Kiya Taa, it was like the biggest thing. So, kahi na kahi, aisa lagta hai ki haan, Shayad, you must have done something good. That’s why he’s calling you. However, I don’t think anyone’s criticism affected me much.
How would you describe your childhood and how did you adapt to changes as you grew up?
I am from this beautiful hill station, a small town called New Tehri, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. I don’t know, main aapko jada bata paungi ya nahi, but there are a lot of people mainly from hilly areas, ya fil jo wahan se hote hai, they are very naive. And I think the best thing about it is that it has very strong roots, and that’s what it is. I want to keep it alive. Please help me with Karta Hai. Jab-a-a-pu-na, first and second project carte ho, you have a certain kind of innocence, but then when you do a lot of work, you lose that innocence. So what I strive for is to keep that innocence intact and stay grounded and humble. That’s what I got out of it and what I can say. My family, my childhood and where I was born, it always makes me feel very grounded. When I go there today, I see people who have no desire to improve themselves. They are very relaxed and find joy in the little things. I mean, my childhood was like that.
Were your parents supportive of your career decisions?
Yes, they are very happy now and everything is going well. But before, I wouldn’t say they weren’t cooperative. But Ekjo’s parents couldn’t understand what I was saying because we were from a very small town. I come from a family of teachers, engineers, and doctors, so all actors have to remember who they are. Previously they were not supportive, but when I joined the National Drama School, I thought, “Unko thoda sa confidence aaya hai ki”, ok, I’m on the right path. I did.
What do you enjoy most about acting in the film industry and what do you find most rewarding?
There are many things. But I think the fundamental thing about acting is that it makes you more grounded as a human being and allows you to understand human connections and the universe as a whole on a very deep level. The hard part is that all creative work is very unpredictable. There is a lot of uncertainty and we don’t know what works today may not work tomorrow. Therefore, this unpredictable nature is very depressing. In other fields, the logic is very clear that if you are good at studying, you can get into any university and get good conditions. But that’s not the case with acting. Some actors, even if they are good at acting, cannot play the role. So it works in a completely different way. They are very good actors, as are some of my friends and acquaintances. There are many good and beautiful actors in Bombay, but they still don’t have work. So this is what makes me sad. And this is the scary thing about the movie industry.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
If I just wanted to correct some behavior, I’d ask my younger self to read more literature. Because when I was 18 or 19 years old, I was far away from literature. And today I’m almost bookish. I seem to be an avid reader. That’s why I always regret it.
Who is your biggest mentor or supporter in the industry?
Especially since, like everyone, I don’t have a godfather in the industry. Looking back now, there is no one I would like to thank and say, “I am here because of you.” I think they are here because of me. But as a supporter, I think it’s all the people I’ve worked with, Viacom, Vijay Maurya Productions, and all the production companies like Matchbox Shorts. It’s because there are such courageous works and because the producers are people like us that newcomers are given a chance. So, to me, they are supporters who are betting on you. These are the people in industry that I look up to in life.
(Tag translation)Vijay Maurya
