“I never appreciate my own work” - Rupa Ganguly 
By IndiaFM News Bureau, October 31, 2005 - 02:37 IST
Rupa Ganguly started her career as a child artist. At a later stage in her acting career, she has done films like Mahek, Kamla Ki Maut and Nishchay. But her most popular role to date is that of Draupadi in the television series Mahabharat, and most recently, the role in the tele serial Sahib, Biwi Aur Ghulam. After having worked in a number of languages, the actress is all set to get back to her Bengal roots with Rituparno Ghosh's Antar Mahal.
What is Antar Mahal about?
If I start talking about what kind of a film Antar Mahal is, it would become too long. I play the character of badi bahu in it.
Tell us something more about the character.
First of all, the character that I play is completely different from what I am in real life. Though she belongs to a royal family, she is tortured and she bears it all. Since childhood, she is aware of the fact that women are supposed to lead their lives in a specific manner, after they are married off to zamindars. They have nothing for themselves. They don't even know how to think for themselves. The zamindar is free to come to his wife as and when he pleases. And it is only then that she can talk to him about anything. And that too, if her husband is in a good mood. This is a background of the film.
Everything is disrupted when the choti bahu comes to their house. She comes because the badi bahu cannot bear a child. Nobody thinks why, a child cannot be born. The only solution that everyone thinks suitable is to get another wife. Thus, the badi bahu feels threatened. She believes that her position in the family will be taken away. She is scared to lose her respect, power and authority. Predictably, she does not accept the choti bahu. At the same time, there is a contradiction, because she even sympathizes with the young girl. She has gone though a lot of pain and now the young girl is going through the same. The badi bahu comes forward to solve any problem. At some times, she is the only person who has the authority to negate what Raja Babu says. Badi bahu is a very strong woman whereas the choti bahu is very passive and reserved. She explains, or rather expresses to badi bahu in her own sweet way that she need not feel threatened by her. At one point, the two of them unite and come together to combat the bigger fight.
Do explain the title of the film.
Ritu has named this film in a very sweet way. It is easier for a Bengali to understand the meaning of the title. I will try my best to explain. The actual word is andar mahal which means the story of the Raj Gharana. It would refer to the andar ki baat. Antar is what the people staying inside that house feel in their hearts. The story is about what the women staying in zamindar family feel in their hearts.
This film opened the Locarno film festival. How was the response to the film?
Everyone appreciated the film. People only had good things to say. But I was feeling bad! I never appreciate my own work! I think I will always feel like that. I keep wishing that I had done some scene differently.
Ritu is considered to be a perfectionist. What was your experience with him?
I have worked with him earlier. He is always good to work with. He is also very firm about what he wants. One thing I really like about him is that he distributes various responsibilities in the different departments in an effective way. So while working, there is no confusion. I have also worked in some international projects. So I have seen that this is the same way they function there. Every responsibility is given to a different person. I think he is a darling! And any actor's delight!
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