Rashami Desai: Script more important than the character

Rashami Desai

Rashami Desai begins the conversation by admitting that she was a ball of nerves when she decided to give her nod to Tandoor. She is grateful to director Nivedita Basu, who is also making her web debut with the Ullu series, and co-star Tanuj Virwani for putting her at ease. "I didn't want to pick a random subject for [my digital debut]. When I heard the narration, I got goosebumps. I feel fortunate that she considered me for the role," says the actor.

The investigative thriller is based on the July 1995 Tandoor murder case, in which MLA Sushil Sharma had shot wife Naina Sahni to death and disposed her body in a tandoor at a Delhi restaurant. While Desai had done considerable prep before the shoot, everything changed on the set. "My homework didn't work for me, but my director guided me to perform at optimum level. I just followed her word. It felt like an impromptu [performance]," says the Uttaran actor, adding that it was a challenging role. "It was difficult to switch between the present and past tracks and adjust to Palak's [her character] mental space."

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Virwani and Desai in Tandoor

While the story is narrated from the point of view of Virwani's character, Desai asserts that "every character had an important part to play". "Palak's character graph stood out from everything [that has been offered to me]. I was looking for reality in my roles, which I got in Tandoor. Of course, some characters take precedence. [Ultimately], the script and subject are more important than any character."

Ask her about the comfort level on set and Desai is quick to credit Virwani for making things easier. "Tanuj is a good actor and it's a big support when you have a good co-star. I think I was saved by him. I didn't feel like I was compromising in any scene," adds the actor.

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