In an exclusive chat with Lehren, Raveena Tandon opens up about her thundering performance in K.G.F & daughter Rasha Thadani's Bollywood debut. The actress also expresses her desire to collaborate with Govinda & shares some exciting details about her upcoming film ventures.
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00:00 So you've known Ajay Devgn since your college days, you went to the same college?
00:04 Well actually not so, yes we did go to the same college.
00:07 Our parents worked together for the longest time.
00:10 His sister and me were in class together.
00:13 But Ajay was with Bobby and all these, he was senior to us in college.
00:16 So I didn't really know him that well. But his sister and I knew each other.
00:20 And now, in fact, Rasha and his sister's son, they're working together.
00:27 So yes, I know them since then probably.
00:32 Isn't it wonderful that on the one hand you have a daughter who's working in films
00:39 and you are still working and doing brilliantly.
00:42 Because KGF, I think, people just loved you in the role of that dignified Prime Minister.
00:48 Yeah, that really worked well. I enjoyed both actually, the two varied things that I was doing.
00:55 I was doing Aranyak where I was playing this completely desi, daughter of the soil kind of rooted role.
01:02 And there was KGF 2 where again I was playing power and it had to come across very strongly on screen.
01:11 So it was totally contrary because in KGF I would go there and Prashant would say
01:16 'Ma'am, level it up a notch higher, a notch higher you take my performance.'
01:20 And I would go then when I'd come back on the Aranyak sets and Vinay would be like
01:25 'Just play it very real.' I'd be like, 'Okay, I'll play it very real.'
01:29 That's the South and North sensibilities, I guess.
01:31 No, but you know what, I was worried about that.
01:35 It has nothing to do with the North-South. Each director has his own style.
01:39 But what happens is, see, it's ultimately in the director's hands. He's the boss.
01:45 Because in his mind, he has the entire film and every actor's performance, you know, playing out in front of his eyes.
01:54 Where I haven't seen how the rest of everyone has performed in the other scenes.
01:59 So I don't know at what level and what drama is he building up.
02:03 You understand? So that's why they say, my dad always taught me that the director is the captain of the ship.
02:09 You leave it completely on him. He's the boss. It's his vision that you are doing.
02:13 You are there doing your job as an actor. He will mold you to do what will go with the flow of the film.
02:20 And that's when I feel it's so important for even young actors, that's the advice that I would give,
02:25 that leave yourself in the hands of a director. Because he knows where he's steering his ship into.
02:31 So that is what is very, very important.
02:34 So did KGF too, because it was such a huge hit. So even playing that small but important part in it,
02:41 did that really help you in really making a comeback?
02:45 I don't know about the comeback because I'd already done Mathru in the Middle. I'd already done, you know, still doing things.
02:51 It was not a comeback. I was just waiting for a good role. I think those days of comeback is over.
02:56 Nowadays, actors take the time to do that one good role or, you know, quality work more than quantity.
03:01 Maybe you come off a time where we all did more quantity work, you know, right from the 80s to the 90s.
03:07 You've seen, you've seen the 2000s. Everyone did more quantity more than quality. Now it's all about quality.
03:12 So it's today's time is more about…
03:15 So did that really help you, KGF too? I mean, as in people recognized you as, listen, this is not just that mast mast girl, she can act also.
03:23 I think that I'd already broken with Daman and Shool and, you know, Ghulam-e-Mustafa and Aks and all those films.
03:29 I think I'd already broken that mould out of. That's why I think these guys have the confidence that I'll be able to carry out a role like that.
03:36 Otherwise, I don't think such a powerful role because it was mainly, you know, the three main characters in the film, so to speak.
03:43 So it wouldn't have been probably then offered to me either if must must they expected me to go and do there.
03:50 I think it's a wonderful phase that you're in, isn't it? I am enjoying this phase of mine.
03:56 Like I said, because it's not about quantity. It's all about quality. Yeah. And you have signed so many other films also now.
04:02 Yes, I'm signing a couple of films. I've signed a couple of films. And are you doing any more web series after Aranya?
04:07 I am. I've just finished one for Hotstar, which is again a very, very interesting series.
04:12 And then there is, yes, of course, Aranya 2, which we're going to be shooting again soon.
04:18 The season continues. The series continues. There are a couple of films that I've signed that are very interesting.
04:24 One is called Patna Shukla. It's Arbaaz Khan's production company.
04:28 Then there is another one that is called Welcome, which is Feroz.
04:33 And that's again an out and out comedy, which I'll enjoy doing. And with all my boys again, Sunil, Akshay and Sanju all together.
04:41 So you will do a film with Akshay if you're offered a film with Akshay? I think I signed Welcome, right?
04:47 So it's it's it's it's going to be a great, you know, again, it's comedy like how we used to be enjoying doing.
04:56 I'm looking forward to working with Chichi again, though, because I'm dying to do another mad comedy with Chichi.
05:01 But is he doing any films? I have not really asked him, but I'm going to call him and say, Chichi, now long time everyone's bouncing back.
05:09 Let's all do this good comedy together. So, yeah, so that'll be that'll be fun as well.
05:16 That's really nice. Is there anything that your dad guided you, which you in turn are guiding Rasha?
05:23 I think it's more a process of upbringing. It's it's I think it's just not that one thing that you tell or this is second.
05:31 Oh, I'll only say one thing to my child. I think every day there's that certain upbringing that you start sounding like your parents and you say,
05:38 you know, you're like, yeah, this is exactly how it went. So I think it's that every day, you know, learning that, OK, today this was going to happen or this has happened.
05:48 Now you learn from this this way. So, yeah, that does happen between us pretty often. So when you did sign a film, was there anything your dad told you?
05:56 See, Papa was always there to advise me what is right and what is wrong. And nonetheless, even I wouldn't have liked him to launch me ever because I do feel that
06:05 whatever a child does, the parents like it. So when does a diamond get tested?
06:12 When it is polished and polished and the outside world buys it. Right. You know, so it's literally that that you have to see how much there is for the producer to invest that kind of how much value you have.
06:24 The producer invests that kind of, you know, money and his time and the whole production is behind you.
06:31 The whole unit is investing their love, their effort, their emotions in you. So that's very important for, you know, for me, it was to stand on my own feet.
06:40 And he was always there to guide me what was right, what was wrong. But ultimately, I think a lot of decisions were mine. I was always pretty headstrong.
06:49 So in fact, there were times when I didn't listen to him, which I wish I had. But then that's the way it is.
06:57 Yeah.
06:58 Thank you.
06:59 Thank you.
07:01 Thank you.
07:02 Thank you.
07:04 Thank you.
07:05 (upbeat music)
07:07 you