Sreejita De: I was briefed about role on day two of shoot

Sreejita De

The pandemic hit the pause button on Sreejita De Blohm-Pape's daily soap offerings, but she is now back on screen with Shaitani Rasmein. The actor, who tied the knot last year with German boyfriend Michael Blohm-Pape, plays Chhaya daayan in the fantasy show. In conversation with mid-day, De talks about playing a vicious witch, and how the role's negativity affects her mentally.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

Why didn't you take up any daily soap after Bigg Boss 16?
Budgets had been slashed drastically after COVID. After Nazar [her last daily soap], I didn't do any daily soap, but took up a few web series. However, I didn't find the kind of shows I was looking for.

Considering Shaitani Rasmein is a fantasy show, what are the crazy things you're doing in it?
My character is a psychopath. This is the most vicious and hated character I have ever played. She is extremely cruel without any remorse. In Nazar, Monalisa was a daayan, but she wasn't vicious. Such a character has not been showcased on TV. She is completely drenched in blood and has crazy [tendencies].

Did you get time to prep for the role?
Not at all. [My character's] look is heavy. I have to wear a wig that goes up to my knees, adorn heavy jewellery. It tires you. I was finalised, and two days later, I had to shoot. I was briefed about the character for the first time on set, on the second day of the shoot [laughs]. We didn't get any time to prep, but I had an idea of the genre. They wanted me to be unrestrained and bonkers. She could laugh, and the next moment, kill someone.

Do you feel villainous characters often become caricatures on Indian television?
I agree because there is a thin line between desired look and the final execution. Sometimes, it becomes comical even though you want to create fear. It could be written anyway, but it also depends on how an actor is playing the role. I ensure to not do anything to make her seem comical. The director leads you in the right way.

Do you feel this show will propel your career ahead?
I liked the character when it was offered to me. She is bold, she knows she is a seductress. I wanted to raise the bar in terms of negative characters. Plus, the show came to me when I was missing facing the camera. Chhaya seemed like a dumdaar [powerful] role.

Are you shooting a lot with against chroma background?
Most of my scenes have chroma because Chhaya is either flying or doing something crazy. The journey between action and cut sometimes gets to [me]. Her evil demeanour and actions affect my personal energy. I am usually not an angry person, but after playing the character for the last 20 days, it's affecting my mood. The negative energy exhausts me. I wasn't sleeping or eating properly, we have to travel every day for two-and-a-half hours to the Mira Road set, and then shoot constantly for 12 hours - it can get exhausting. When playing negative characters, you have to allow time for the character to leave your system.

How has your husband reacted to your role?
He watches Shaitani Rasmein every day on Disney+ Hotstar. Though he doesn't understand half the things, he still grasps the [premise]. He has been living here for the last six odd years, so it's easier to grasp things now. I try to watch some of his German shows with subtitles.