Varsha Usgaonkar's Perspective On Work Culture In Marathi & Hindi Cinema

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In an exclusive Lehren Retro interview, Varsha Usgaonkar shares insights on working in Hindi and Marathi films, discussing her major breakthrough in 'Gammat Jammat.' Watch this throwback interview on Lehren Retro.

Transcript

00:00 Heroine is more of a showpiece in Hindi films.

00:04 I don't see any difference in working conditions or acting.

00:07 The only difference is in the treatment.

00:10 My affairs are concerned. I don't think I have an affair with anyone.

00:14 How are you in films?

00:21 You mean in Marathi films or Hindi films?

00:24 Marathi.

00:26 Actually, my entry in Marathi films was through theatre.

00:34 I used to do Marathi theatre.

00:37 When I was doing a drama, Sachin saw me in a play.

00:45 He introduced me to his first film, Gambha Chambat.

00:49 It was my first film and it was a great break for me.

00:55 It was totally a heroine-oriented film.

00:58 A different type of a heroine.

01:00 In Marathi, there were social dramas like family dramas.

01:08 There was always a home-like heroine.

01:11 A different type of heroine was introduced in Marathi.

01:16 That's how I entered Marathi films.

01:19 I didn't look back.

01:21 I was very successful in Marathi films.

01:25 I did a lot of Marathi films.

01:28 Hindi films?

01:30 When I was doing Marathi films, Mahabharat serial had started.

01:37 It had been a year since it started.

01:40 I never tried for Mahabharat on my own.

01:43 Actually, my dad wished me to come to Mahabharat.

01:48 But it never happened.

01:51 Once, we went to see the Mahabharat shooting.

01:55 Some of our guests had come to our house.

01:58 I went there with my family to see the shooting.

02:02 Coincidentally, Abhimanyu's younger brother was shooting there.

02:10 After a few days, Abhimanyu grows up and gets married to Uttara.

02:15 That was the scene.

02:18 Gufi Pantel was a production designer.

02:22 He asked me if I was interested in playing Uttara's role.

02:27 I was taken aback. I had not expected that.

02:31 My parents were there.

02:34 They said yes.

02:36 They wished me to play Uttara.

02:39 Without screen test, they finalized my role.

02:45 I was selected for Mahabharat.

02:47 My entry was with dance.

02:52 Gopiji choreographed it.

02:55 It was Kathak style dance.

02:57 I got publicity all over India.

03:02 Suddenly, I was noticed by Hindi film industry.

03:05 I had never tried to get into Hindi films.

03:09 I had wished to get into Hindi films.

03:13 But I got into Hindi films through Mahabharat.

03:19 My first Hindi film was Doodh Ka Karz.

03:22 Mr. Salim Akhtar and Mr. Ashok Gaikwad signed me for Doodh Ka Karz.

03:29 It was opposite to Jackie Shroff.

03:32 What is the difference between Marathi and Hindi films?

03:37 I don't see any difference in working conditions or acting.

03:42 The difference is in treatment.

03:44 Marathi films are mostly comedies.

03:47 Plots are strong.

03:50 There is no action.

03:52 There is no violence.

03:54 There is no glamour.

03:57 Heroine is more of a showpiece in Hindi films.

04:02 Most of the Hindi films.

04:04 Not all Hindi films are like this.

04:07 There is a difference in job satisfaction in Marathi films.

04:12 Most of the films I have done in Marathi,

04:15 Heroine had a lot of scope.

04:18 This has comparatively less scope.

04:21 But I am optimistic.

04:23 I know when I will prove myself in Hindi film industry.

04:26 I will get roles in which I will have scope.

04:30 This is the difference.

04:32 Second is glamour.

04:34 Heroine should be glamorous looking.

04:37 Most of the Hindi films.

04:39 Because she has to look good.

04:41 She has to dress well.

04:43 Her makeup should be good.

04:45 Her hairstyle should be good.

04:47 She should look good in Marathi films of course.

04:51 But you don't have to focus on these things.

04:56 The treatment of the director in Marathi and Hindi films.

05:00 Is of a different style.

05:02 This difference is for the story.

05:06 Because basically stories are action oriented.

05:09 So naturally there is a difference.

05:12 Secondly, there is a cultural difference.

05:16 Like dresses.

05:18 In Hindi films, dresses are more glamorized.

05:22 They are of all types.

05:24 And basically dresses are north oriented.

05:28 Whereas in Marathi films,

05:31 they are more cultural.

05:33 Traditional.

05:35 It is important to have a little.

05:37 Are you satisfied with Hindi films?

05:40 I am not totally dissatisfied.

05:44 I have many films.

05:46 I am doing the honeymoon of Surendra Mohan.

05:49 It will be released in a month or two.

05:52 Then I am doing the gold chain of Shiv Kumar.

05:56 Then I have a film called Ghar aaya mera pardesi.

05:59 It is a film by Ravindra Peepat.

06:01 So these films have given me a lot of job satisfaction.

06:05 Although it is not complete.

06:07 The honeymoon is more than half complete.

06:10 It will be released.

06:12 The gold chain is complete.

06:14 But I had a lot of scope in these films.

06:16 So I got a lot of job satisfaction in this.

06:20 What are your future plans?

06:22 My biggest ambition was to be in Hindi films.

06:28 So I have come now.

06:30 The beginning is good.

06:32 So let's see what happens in the future.

06:34 I am waiting for good roles, a good break.

06:36 And good directors.

06:38 Of course, I have worked with good directors.

06:41 I was very lucky.

06:43 I met directors like Mahesh ji.

06:46 I am working with Daddu Sippy.

06:49 He is opposite to Mithun ji.

06:51 Then there is Surendra ji.

06:54 Shiv Kumar.

06:56 So all these are good directors.

06:59 Then I would like to work with Rajkumar Santoshi.

07:02 Subhash Ghai.

07:04 So these are my ambitions.

07:06 These are my future plans.

07:08 In Hindi films, normally every actor is linked with the co-star.

07:13 You have been linked.

07:15 Where is this true?

07:17 I would say that it is personal attitude.

07:23 Sometimes there is truth in it.

07:25 Sometimes there is no truth in it.

07:28 And such link-ups can affect your personal life.

07:37 So I think that whatever the affair is,

07:40 journalists should also keep in mind

07:43 whether there is a base in it or not.

07:45 I don't think there is anything in publishing baseless stories.

07:50 I mean it is fair on their part.

07:53 So as far as my affairs are concerned,

07:56 I don't think I have an affair with anyone.

07:59 Nor do I want to get married so soon.

08:03 So this is a part of the game.

08:07 I see it this way.

08:10 How do you spend your days off?

08:14 Yes, this is a very good question.

08:17 Whenever I get a day off,

08:19 I feel like I should sleep the whole day.

08:23 But when I wake up,

08:26 I feel like I should go to a place where it is peaceful.

08:31 And I see only one place like that.

08:34 That is the beach.

08:37 And when I think of the beach,

08:42 I think of Goa.

08:44 Because Goa's beaches are very peaceful.

08:49 Because I have seen that there is always a lot of crowd on the beaches of Bombay.

08:54 There is always a crowd on the beaches of Bombay for 24 hours.

08:58 So I go to the beaches.

09:01 Sometimes I like to go to the beach alone.

09:04 I like to go like this,

09:06 lie down in the sea water,

09:08 close my eyes and lie down.

09:10 And do nothing.

09:12 I like this a lot.

09:14 Your image is very similar to Kimi.

09:18 Do you want to keep this image or do you want to open a different image?

09:23 Not at all.

09:25 I don't think I look like Kimi.

09:29 Maybe my eyes are similar to her eyes.

09:36 That's why people say I look like her.

09:41 Sometimes people say I look like Rajesh Shrik.

09:44 Sometimes they say I look like Sonam.

09:47 Sometimes I get confused as to who I look like.

09:51 But when I look at myself in the mirror,

09:55 I don't think I have any similarity with these actresses.

09:59 And even if I have a similar face,

10:01 my acting style is different.

10:03 So that makes me different.

10:05 So I think I am known as Varsha Uzgaonkar.

10:10 (Music)

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