Exclusive interview with Esha Deol as her short film "Ek Duaa" wins at the 69th National award in the non feature special mention. Esha not only acted in this film but also produced it.
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00:00 I was 18 years old, and I was literally picked up from the football ground in front of the camera.
00:05 At that time, there was no grooming and all that.
00:08 So after the narration, I felt so emotional and I was in tears.
00:13 No one ever plays the dream role.
00:15 Because after doing it, it feels like this is my second dream and this is my dream role.
00:19 Papa used to be very strict earlier.
00:21 But now, we have a different friendship.
00:23 The bond between us is very strong.
00:26 Papa used to be very strict earlier.
00:28 Now...
00:29 Namaskar, you are watching Lehren and I am Rehan Hussain.
00:32 Recently, the National Film Awards have been announced.
00:35 And all the artists have been awarded for their hard work.
00:39 One of these films is 'Ek Dua'.
00:41 Although, it is not a film, it is a short film in the non-feature category.
00:45 Which has been produced by Isha Deol Takhtani.
00:48 And she has also acted in it.
00:50 Isha ji is with us.
00:52 We will talk about her journey in this film.
00:57 Isha ji, welcome to the show.
00:59 My first question to you is...
01:01 As a producer, this is your first film.
01:04 And you have also acted in it.
01:07 So how challenging was it to work in a film like this?
01:10 See, this film...
01:12 The story of 'Ek Dua' is based on the topic of female foeticide.
01:20 So that is why I said that I don't want to just act in this film.
01:26 Because I was brought the script to be an actor in.
01:29 But I said, I want to produce such a topic myself.
01:34 I want to make it and share it with people.
01:37 Because it is a small contribution for me.
01:40 Taking such a big topic.
01:43 And this film...
01:46 You know, as a producer, when we used to go on set...
01:54 Before the shift, we used to be a producer.
01:56 After the shift, we were a producer.
01:58 But when we used to be on set, I used to be just Abhida in character.
02:03 Because our team has done a lot of homework.
02:08 We have done a lot of pre-planning.
02:10 So that we don't go on set as a producer.
02:13 With stress.
02:14 So all the requirements of the shoot, the next day...
02:17 We had done all that homework many days before.
02:21 So when you got the offer to act in the film...
02:25 You decided to produce it later.
02:28 Yes.
02:29 Ram Kamal Mukherjee has become a great director.
02:35 He has made films with good stories in a short time.
02:40 I had worked with him in Cakewalk earlier.
02:43 So once we were just sitting and talking.
02:45 He said, I have a very good script.
02:49 With this topic.
02:51 So when he said the topic, I said, you tell me now.
02:56 So after the narration, I felt so emotional.
02:58 And I was in tears.
03:01 So this script touched my heart.
03:06 So I said, I don't just want to act in this film.
03:10 I want to make it and do something more in it.
03:13 Like I said, he made this film for me.
03:17 I have acted in it, but to make it and deliver it to the audience...
03:21 It is a big thing for me.
03:23 Because as a human being, I have made a small contribution to this cause.
03:30 And it has received a lot of appreciation internationally.
03:34 But now, it is getting a lot of respect at the national level.
03:39 It is a big thing for me.
03:41 Because it is our country.
03:42 Yes, absolutely.
03:43 And the National Award is the biggest award for me.
03:50 So you thought that this short film can be elaborated on.
03:54 It is neither short nor long.
03:57 It is of a different length.
03:58 But we could neither reduce it nor increase it.
04:01 Because if we would have made the story, it would have been draggy.
04:04 And we could not even reduce it.
04:06 So the length of this is not even the length of a short film.
04:09 Nor is it two hours.
04:10 This film is something in between.
04:12 That is why we have got it in the non-feature category.
04:16 With regard to women empowerment,
04:18 like Gangubai Katiyawadi, Alia Bhattji, Kriti Sinhan and your film,
04:24 the women leading films that are coming out,
04:27 what would you say about that?
04:29 The women empowerment that is being talked about,
04:33 are the actresses playing their roles through the films?
04:37 Absolutely. We represent them as actors.
04:41 And we should do it.
04:42 Because our audience connects with us.
04:45 And if we can give an important message through a film,
04:49 then why not represent it?
04:51 Like Alia did or Kriti did.
04:54 In Ek Dua, the topic I played the role of a mother,
04:58 many people can understand it.
05:01 The pain of Abida, the pain she has gone through,
05:05 many people will be able to understand it.
05:07 So we are acting as an actor by representing it.
05:11 We are not that, but we get into the character and play it.
05:17 If there is an offer to produce a film,
05:21 or a big feature film,
05:26 would you accept it or would you like to take it further?
05:31 Yes, I would definitely do it.
05:33 But I don't want to be a producer who makes two films a year.
05:39 I am an actor and I am working for other people too.
05:44 In other production houses.
05:46 But when I do something, I want it to be something
05:50 that I like from the bottom of my heart.
05:55 That I am making something and why I am making it.
05:57 There should be a reason for that too.
05:59 So there is a script, we are working on it.
06:03 It will take time.
06:04 You have another film, Pipeline,
06:07 which is called Mai. Can you tell us about that?
06:10 It is a psychological thriller.
06:12 Amit Saad is the hero in it.
06:14 It has a good story and a good message.
06:19 We have just finished shooting.
06:21 So post production and dubbing is still pending.
06:25 If we talk about your career,
06:27 when you started this film,
06:30 Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche,
06:32 it was a different kind of film.
06:34 It was a challenging role.
06:36 You are a top actor,
06:38 but you are not in that role.
06:40 So how challenging was it?
06:42 My producer, Boney Kapoor and Sridevi
06:48 were also there.
06:50 They all worked on me.
06:52 And my director, Vinay Shukla,
06:56 they all worked on me.
06:58 I was 18 years old.
07:00 I was literally standing in front of the camera
07:04 and I was not that grooming.
07:08 I knew I had to act,
07:10 I had to play this role.
07:12 But there was a rawness in it.
07:14 I really like that rawness.
07:17 People don't show that rawness nowadays.
07:20 It was there in those days.
07:22 Many actors used to come with a rawness.
07:26 So as an actress,
07:28 did you want to start or as a dancer?
07:30 I dance.
07:32 You do mimicry?
07:34 Yes, I do mimicry.
07:36 I did mimicry a lot in my childhood.
07:38 I used to entertain my family members
07:42 and my grandmother.
07:46 So I was fond of dancing and singing.
07:50 You worked with Hrithik Roshan
07:54 and Saif Ali Khan in your second film.
07:56 You signed two films together.
07:58 But I feel it was released first.
08:00 So did you have the experience
08:02 of working with Hrithik Roshan
08:04 or Saif Ali Khan?
08:06 That's when Hrithik and I...
08:08 It was the opening.
08:10 We were both starting at the same time.
08:14 Saif was already established.
08:16 We don't work by looking at it.
08:20 Saif was already established.
08:24 Hrithik and I were working together.
08:28 He had his first film.
08:30 But we know each other
08:32 at the comfort level.
08:34 So it was fun on set.
08:36 What kind of films do you like to do?
08:38 Female-dominated films?
08:40 Action films?
08:42 Romantic films?
08:44 As an artist,
08:46 it's a different kind of fun
08:48 to experience every genre.
08:52 Whether it's action, comedy, romance,
08:54 or thriller.
08:56 I've done a lot of them.
08:58 But I think the main thing,
09:00 the hero of any film is a story.
09:04 Whether it's a web series or a film,
09:06 if the story is good
09:08 and the characters are fun,
09:10 and sometimes an artist
09:12 feels like,
09:14 "I've just finished a comedy film.
09:16 I want to do some action."
09:18 I think we like to fluctuate.
09:20 At least I like to.
09:22 I had an incident
09:24 where you did a real action.
09:26 You were so passionate
09:28 that you did a real action.
09:32 You got a head injury.
09:34 I made a mistake.
09:36 I didn't know.
09:38 I was new.
09:40 It wasn't real.
09:42 It was made of fiberglass.
09:44 Sanjayji likes to joke.
09:46 I didn't do it on purpose.
09:48 If we look at your career,
09:50 after you got married,
09:52 you did a web series,
09:54 Hunter,
09:56 and Rudra.
09:58 In the film,
10:00 TV, and web series,
10:02 how much freedom
10:04 does an artist have?
10:06 There are so many OTT platforms.
10:10 So many stories are being written.
10:12 New directors,
10:14 scriptwriters,
10:16 actors.
10:18 There's a lot of variety.
10:20 But for us,
10:22 when we go on set,
10:24 we don't think
10:26 whether we're shooting
10:28 for a web series or a film.
10:30 We're playing a story.
10:32 We reach the work
10:34 according to that.
10:36 Did you ever regret
10:38 not signing a film
10:40 if you had signed it?
10:42 There were some films
10:44 that I couldn't do
10:46 for some reasons,
10:48 but there are some films
10:50 that I did.
10:52 But those who did it later
10:54 did a great job.
10:56 Have you fulfilled
10:58 your dream role?
11:00 No one does a dream role.
11:02 After doing it,
11:04 you feel it's your dream.
11:06 After that,
11:08 there's another dream role.
11:10 An artist is always dreaming.
11:12 Every artist is a dreamer.
11:14 Tell me about Khuda.
11:16 You worked
11:18 in the direction of
11:20 your mother,
11:22 and your father was also there.
11:24 How was that experience?
11:26 It was a sweet experience.
11:28 We dance with my mother
11:30 on stage
11:32 and do interviews.
11:34 But for the first time,
11:36 I had to speak
11:38 in a dialogue with my father.
11:40 I was like that from inside.
11:42 I used to show
11:44 that I was fine from outside,
11:46 but I had an emotional
11:48 feeling that I was
11:50 doing it with my father.
11:52 Who is more strict
11:54 between your mother and father?
11:56 My mother.
11:58 My father used to be very strict,
12:00 but now we have a
12:02 very strong bond.
12:04 So,
12:06 my father used to be very strict.
12:10 Now, not so much.
12:12 Rakhi is coming up.
12:14 How will you celebrate?
12:16 Like everyone else,
12:18 it's a beautiful time
12:20 for brother and sister.
12:22 We get a day to celebrate.
12:24 We all
12:26 wear nice clothes,
12:28 eat sweets,
12:30 tie Rakhi,
12:32 and wait for pocket money
12:34 from our brother.
12:36 Devol family is very happy.
12:38 We have won the national award,
12:40 and we have won the
12:42 Best Actor of the Year award.
12:44 We have also won the
12:46 Best Actor of the Year award.
12:48 We have also won the
12:50 Best Actor of the Year award.
12:52 We have also won the
12:54 Best Actor of the Year award.
12:56 We have also won the
12:58 Best Actor of the Year award.
13:00 We have also won the
13:02 Best Actor of the Year award.
13:04 We have also won the
13:06 Best Actor of the Year award.
13:08 How hard are you working?
13:10 Do you have the same level of recognition?
13:12 Everyone works hard.
13:14 Everyone works hard.
13:16 We won't stop working.
13:18 We won't stop working.
13:20 We won't stop working.
13:22 Whether we get it or not,
13:24 we all work hard.
13:26 We take our work seriously.
13:28 Work is a very important thing for us.
13:30 Work is a very important thing for us.
13:32 Work is a very important thing for us.
13:34 Like a prayer.
13:36 Life's purpose is to do good work.
13:38 Life's purpose is to do good work.
13:40 Gadhar 2 has got such a big success.
13:42 What would you like to say about it?
13:44 I am very happy that Gadhar 2
13:46 has got such a solid response.
13:48 has got such a solid response.
13:50 Gadhar 2 has opened up
13:52 single screen theatres with full energy.
13:54 Gadhar 2 has opened up single screen theatres with full energy.
13:56 Audiences are liking the film so much.
13:58 I also liked the film a lot.
14:00 Sunny's work,
14:02 Amisha's work,
14:04 and the new couple also.
14:06 and the new couple also.
14:08 and the new couple also.
14:10 (upbeat music)
14:13 you