Rajshri Deshpande hasn’t yet watched the Netflix series Sacred Games, in which she plays Subhadra, the wife of Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s gangster Ganesh Gaitonde. But Deshpande has already been given a rude reminder that the internet neither forgets nor forgives. The first season, directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, has been widely praised for its adaptation of Vikram Chandra’s novel of the same name. The show features many scenes of nudity, and among the actors who have courageously shed their clothes and inhibitions is Deshpande. Screenshots from a sequence in which Subhadra and Gaitonde are having sex have made it across the internet and Whatsapp, and have been sent to Deshapande too. “It is everywhere on the net and that’s so bad,” said the actress, who is currently shooting for a film in Rai Bareilly. “I’m constantly complaining to Instagram and Facebook to take it down.” By taking the sequence out of context, trolls are sending a skewed message about the series, which examines the investigation into Gaitonde’s death by Mumbai police inspector Sartaj Singh, Deshpande pointed out. “I’m not surprised though – when I did [Sanal Sasidharan’s] Sexy Durga, people would ask me if it was a porn film. I’d be like, at least do some research, read what the film is about. People who haven’t watched Sacred Games and have just seen that scene will have the wrong picture. But that’s technology for you – it’s brilliant that it has transformed our lives but horrible that it is also used as a weapon.” Deshpande knew right from the start that her role involved frontal nudity. “Gaitonde and Subhadra’s relationship is an intimate one, so I completely got why the scene was necessary,” she said. “Anurag sir even told me that I could tell him if I was uncomfortable. But I don’t have such inhibitions. I’m portraying love, not degrading anything.” Rajshri Deshpande as Subhadra in Sacred Games. Courtesy Netflix. Deshpande got some practice dealing with trolls after Sexy Durga, Sasidharan’s Malayalam-language movie that ran into trouble with Indian censors because of its provocative title. The movie was eventually renamed S Durga. Deshpande plays a woman who, while eloping with her boyfriend, gets embroiled with a bunch of misogynistic and violent men. “I feel like Sexy Durga, the film, is exactly like Durga, the character,” Deshpande said. “The film’s journey mirrors the harrowing one that Durga herself goes through in the narrative. The feeling that it is safe now, okay now it is not, okay it is and so on.” Durga was difficult to play, and Deshpande found herself crying every day during the shoot. “You could say that for the 22 nights that we shot inside that car, I didn’t sleep,” she said. “The camera was ever present and there wasn’t a division of shots – it was mine now, and some other character’s later. So one had to be present, alert and in the role throughout. It was exhausting but necessary to show the experience of the characters accurately.” Play S Durga (2017). Deshpande made her screen debut in Reema Kagti’s thriller Talaash in 2012. After a couple of television stints, she garnered attention for her role in Pan Nalin’s Angry Indian Goddesses (2015). S Durga was her breakthrough, and Deshpande theorises that the movie drew the attention of the casting director of Sacred Games, Mukesh Chhabra, and his assistant Mandar Gosavi, to her talent. “When Mukesh Chhabra called me for the audition, I was quite scared,” Deshpande revealed. “As an actor one goes through so many auditions and so many rejections too. Most of the time, one is not thin or fat enough, does not have cheek bones that are high enough or a stomach that is flat enough.” Deshpande’s Subhadra makes her first appearance in the fourth episode, and the character gradually gains indispensability and power in the Gaitonde household. “It is when Subhadra comes into Gaitonde’s life that he first has this feeling that here’s someone who can overpower him,” Deshpande said. “Yes, he is fascinated with Kukoo [Gaitonde’s lover played by Kubbra Sait], but with Subhadra, it is a relationship of dependence, care and understanding – a marriage. She is in charge when it comes to just the two of them. Initially, she feels no love for him. But when she falls in love, there is a complete shift in their relationship. If you notice, in the bedroom, she is on top of him.” As part of her preparation, Deshpande read Chandra’s novel, but she had her own take on Subhadra. “I wanted to be a blank canvas,” she said. “I wanted to be the Subhadra that Anurag sir and the writers of the show had envisioned. I wanted to grasp their vision and then add my colours and breathe life into the character.” Subhadra is a lot like the women Deshpande has met during her work for Nabhangan Foundation, the non-governmental organisation she set up. Nabhangan Foundation has adopted two villages in Marathawada in Maharashtra, and works with farmers, women and children. “It’s a weird co-relation between my reel and real life – I feel like I’ve definitely met Subhadra before; I have witnessed her strength before,” Deshpande said. Play Manto (2018). The actress has another release in 2018: Nandita Das’s Sadat Hasan Manto biopic. In Manto, Deshpande plays the Urdu writer Ismat Chughtai, who was one of Manto’s friends in Mumbai. Once again, a casting director helped Deshpande bag the role. “Honey Trehan was looking for an actor for Chughtai,” she said. “He made me meet Nandita. In that first meeting, Nandita said we’ll read something together. I began the reading. After a while, she closed the script, looked at me and said, arre Ismat aapa!” Deshpande is a fan of Chughtai’s writings, and deems it a blessing to be able to play her. “Even Ashish, who is the grandson of Chughtai, saw my picture and said, arre aap to aapa hi ho,” Deshpande recalled. “I was like even if this is a passing role, I’ll do it.”<doc-sep>After watching Sacred Games, the only topic of discussion between me and my friends has been nothing else but the show. So much so, that i've become borderline annoying. However, can you blame me? The show is phenomenal in every sense of the word. Most of the people who have seen the show would agree with me that once you begin it's very hard to not see it till the end. That's how addictive this Anurag Kashyap - Vikramaditya Motwane directorial is. Instagram After watching the show, I was curious to interview the woman who played the role of Subhadra Gaitonde, the one character that everyone fell in love with. For the uninitiated, the actress who played the role is Rajshri Deshpande. The very first question that i asked her was something that was on every viewer's mind. How did she bag this small but important role? She said, “I got a call from the casting director saying that they would like to do my audition me for a show, so I gave the audition and after 8 to 10 days I got a call telling me that I have been selected. They wanted to have a chat about the fees etc. That’s how it happened.” Talking about her audition act, she said, “I got an improvised scene to act, my audition was taken brilliantly. They explained the scene in detail and that helped me a lot.” Rajshri has some really bold scenes in the show for which she has been receiving mixed responses. It takes immense courage to go topless for an actress. Talking about the same, she said, “We all our courageous, living in this world itself is a courageous thing to do. Every day we are fighting for something or the other. We deal with so many things. It’s not like I am dancing on some B grade song or I am not doing something where the camera is been panned and they are showing my certain parts in detail. It’s a lovely scene and it’s perfect. It’s a part of the story; I didn’t feel bad while doing that particular scene.” She even said that she wasn’t shy about removing her blouse, “I am an artist, I think about the scene, character and emotion first. While shooting the only thought that was in my mind was how should I play Subhadra because I am a performer. I don't have to see where my stomach is flat or whether my body is looking good onscreen. I am playing a character and my job is to show the emotions correctly, that’s more important. When I am doing certain scenes, I only think about that and not the judgment that will be passed by the people. And in our country, no matter what you do. There will always be a debate.” Twitter Rajshri further added, “I am an artist and a performer. I was in the character, that’s all. I am very comfortable in my own skin, so there is no room for being shy. In real life, I am a very salwaar kameez type of girl (simple). People won't even recognize that I am a film star. When it comes to performance I love to transform myself into the character. I have done Sacred Games and I have done Manto. For a performer, it’s very important to play different kinds of roles. As an artist you cannot work with inhibitions, you have to be like water”. Talking about her long struggle in her acting career, she said, “Before acting, I worked in an advertising agency. I am from Aurangabad, I came to Pune and studied law at Symbiosis. Along with studies, I had to work to support myself because my mother told me she cannot support my education if I want to go out and study. I worked for at least 5 to 6 years after my studies. It hasn't been an easy journey, I battled depression because i felt that my life is wasn't moving in the way that I wanted. Then I got married and my husband supported me a lot. I moved to Bombay, I did theater and here I am. I have faced a lot of rejection, but I kept my patience. Traveling, world cinema and books kept me motivated. I am happy that I took the decision of quitting my job for acting." Editing my life ...📸 @aguywithturban A post shared by Rajshri (@rajshri_deshpande) on May 26, 2018 at 3:48am PDT Before concluding the interview I asked her whether she would go completely naked for a role in a Anurag Kashyap movie/show, she instantly replied, “If the content is great, of course. I know Anurag sir will never do anything for publicity, I trust him that he will always give me good work.” Let's hope we get to see more of this talented lady in the future!<doc-sep>Rajshri Deshpande Has A Befitting Reply To Trolls Who Criticized Her Bold Scene In 'Sacred Games' We are living in the 21st-century guys, a time when everybody has the freedom to speak their mind and do what they want to do or so we think or are told. You’d be surprised to know how much talk of freedom of speech and expression comes on an entertainment website like ours. And today is one of those days. Remember Sacred Games? Yes, the same show that is all over your social media feed and the one that’s got you going gaga about Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). While everybody has been praising the show and Nawaz, Rajshri Deshpande, who essays the role of Nawaz’s wife Subhadra. While I personally loved her in the thriller, there were a number of people out there who called her derogatory names for the bold scene that she did in the series. Some even called her a ‘pornstar’. But the actress proved that she was not one to sit down quietly. Recently, I came across Rajshri’s reply to the backlash and I couldn’t be more proud of her. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Rajshri had a befitting answer to all those who criticized her. Rajshri said, It was a tender moment between a husband and wife. Sex is a beautiful thing… coming close is a beautiful thing. It is unfortunate that people are talking about it this way. They are immature and don’t understand the relevance of these (sex) scenes. I am not dancing on something which is derogatory. I am making love to my husband and that too not in a crass way. She further highlighted the fact that she completely trusted the writers of the show. I did feel bad about it (criticism), but I have to move on. I approached this scene as Subhadra’s character. As an artist, I have to do my job. I know my intention was not wrong. The writers (Smita Singh, Vasant Nath and Varun Grover) are very good at their job, they would not write something which is not relevant. It is not like a commercial item number, ki pehle item number becho, fir movie bhechege. Spot on Rajshri! Just like she said, I’d like to remind all those who had a problem with the bold scene that if you have an issue with this, you shouldn’t be enjoying the derogatory item numbers that often objectify women. It’s time we change our mindset as a society. Don’t you think?<doc-sep>Her portrayal of a gangster’s wife Subhadra, in the web-series Scared Games, has been a revelation and it has earned Rajshri Deshpande accolades from all quarters. However, there have also been instances of her love-making scenes in the series being taken out of context by some sections of the audiences. Some of those scenes have also been uploaded on porn websites. “It was a tender moment between a husband and wife,” she says referring to the love-making scene between her character and actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s on screen avatar, Ganesh Gaitonde. “Sex is a beautiful thing... coming close is a beautiful thing. It is unfortunate that people are talking about it this way. They (the audiences) are immature and don’t understand the relevance of these (sex) scenes. I am not dancing on something which is derogatory. I am making love to my husband and that too not in a crass way,” the actor further adds. The actor is clearly unfazed about the criticism and says the people in India people have a habit of brushing things under the carpet as opposed to dealing with it. “I did feel bad about it (criticism), but I have to move on. I approached this scene as Subhadra’s character. As an artist, I have to do my job. I know my intention was not wrong. The writers (Smita Singh, Vasant Nath and Varun Grover) are very good at their job, they would not write something which is not relevant. It is not like a commercial item number, ki pehle item number becho, fir movie bhechege,” says Rajshri, who has also starred in Angry Indian Goddesses (2015) and Sexy Durga, later retitled as S Durga after running into trouble with the censor board, the controversial Malayalam film which has toured 50 film festivals. The actor has done bit roles in films like Talaash (2012) and Kick (2014) and also dabbled in television with shows like Kuch to Log Kahenge and 24. Talking about the challenges her film, S Durga, faced during its release in India, Rajshri says the film released in just two theatres in Mumbai and the whole team ended up losing a lot of money. “Imagine this happening to a film which travelled to 50 films festivals and won prestigious awards. No one knows that I am Sexy Durga and that this is my film. My parents live in small town and they will never be able to see my work because my films will not release there. Here in cites also there are no opening for films like ours,” muses Rajshri. “My genre of work is limited, I can say that I am happy because I am getting work but there is nothing beyond that. I am not a saleable product. We didn’t have a proper distribution system, we don’t have that. My kind of actors are still struggling because we get fewer roles and therefore the pressure on us is too high.” But Rajshri is hopeful as she says despite all these troubles, there is a glimmer of hope thanks to directors like Anurag Kashyap, who are constantly searching for actors like her. The duo has recently collaborated for a web project. “I never met Anurag before but he has seen a film of mine and he had me in mind. There are directors who know what they want. They don’t care which actor socialises more or is seen more in public. But there are very few like them. Very few directors go out looking for actors,” she says. Interact with the author @cjuhi Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10<doc-sep>
Rajshri Deshpande, who played the role of Subhadra in Sacred Games was criticised for the nude and sex scenes. Read to know what the actor has to say. Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane's Netflix series Sacred Games is a hit. The show stars , Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte in the lead roles. Actor Rajshri Deshpande plays a vital role in Sacred Games. She is seen as Nawazuddin's character Ganesh Gaitonde's wife Subhadra's role in the show. There are several sex scenes and nude scenes between Rajshri and Nawaz. A lot of people criticised her for these bold scenes. A few scenes are also uploaded on adult websites. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Rajshri Deshpande opened up about the criticism and the scenes. She said, "It was a tender moment between a husband and wife." "Sex is a beautiful thing... coming close is a beautiful thing. It is unfortunate that people are talking about it this way. They (the audiences) are immature and don’t understand the relevance of these (sex) scenes. I am not dancing on something which is derogatory. I am making love to my husband and that too not in a crass way," said the actor. Rajshri said that as an artist it is her job and her intention wasn't wrong. "I did feel bad about it (criticism), but I have to move on. I approached this scene as Subhadra’s character. As an artist, I have to do my job. I know my intention was not wrong. The writers (Smita Singh, Vasant Nath and Varun Grover) are very good at their job, they would not write something which is not relevant. It is not like a commercial item number, ki pehle item number becho, fir movie bhechege," added the actor. Rajshri was a part of the films Angry Indian Goddesses (2015) and Sexy Durga (later changed to S Durga). About Sexy Durga, she said, "Imagine this happening to a film which travelled to 50 films festivals and won prestigious awards. No one knows that I am Sexy Durga and that this is my film. My parents live in a small town and they will never be able to see my work because my films will not release there. Here in cities also there is no opening for films like ours." About working with Anurag Kashyap, she said, "I never met Anurag before but he has seen a film of mine and he had me in mind. There are directors who know what they want. They don’t care which actor socialises more or is seen more in public. But there are very few like them. Very few directors go out looking for actors." Credits :Hindustan Times Read More