Meenakshi Chaudhary is playing her most meaningful role ever in 'Lucky Baskhar', which will head to theatres on October 31. In her latest interview, she speaks about her role in the Dulquer Salmaan-starrer, her experience of teaming up with Sithara Entertainments, and more.
I had a great experience with Sithara Entertainments. They are like family to me. After working on 'Guntur Kaaram', I feel even more comfortable with them.
The team was young and highly motivated. Dulquer Salmaan and I needed to be prepared and comfortable to express ourselves and understand the story's demands. Since we are from other language backgrounds, we don't understand Telugu immediately. The team was very understanding, and working with a great actor like Dulquer Salmaan was a fantastic learning experience.
I can't keep playing my age all the time. I want to challenge myself and play all kinds of characters. I can play younger and older roles now, more than I could at an older age. That's inspiring me to push myself.
Sumathi (Meenakshi's name in the film) doesn't value money. She leaves her family to be with Baskhar and doesn't desire more money than necessary. When money comes into their lives, she has mixed feelings because she misses the Baskhar she fell in love with. I have observed greed around me, so I found this relatable. I observed my mother and relatives to portray this strong woman character.
'Lucky Baskhar' is full of emotions and highly relatable. Every common man will see themselves on screen. As Sumathi, I felt close to my mother and father. I understood the sacrifices our mothers make. This is the film's strength.
I had time to prepare for Sumathi, which helped me play the character as per the director's expectations. Everyone on the 'Lucky Baskhar' team knew this film was something special. I didn't want to reveal too much before the trailer. Rithvik, who plays my kid, was always prepared and got okayed on the first take. The production design team recreated 80s Bombay with extensive research. The technical crew, especially Nimish Ravi and GV Prakash Kumar, made the film look real and helped us emote. They never compromised on the look and feel.
I come from a middle-class family. My father was in the Army, and my mother, who studied only till 10th grade, is a homemaker. We're from a small village in Punjab, and I am the first doctor, and media personality from my family and village. We used to buy bigger clothes to fit for the next year. My parents encouraged me to get educated, and they handed down my books to my younger brother. 'Lucky Baskhar' will connect with many Indian families as it portrays middle-class life with sincerity and honesty.
