write an interview with Rajeswari .imagine you are a reporter of national daily
Answers
It did happen initially, but now its ok. I am RAJESHWARI SACHDEV and she is RAAGESHWARI LOOMBA.
Where were you born and brought up?
I was born in Bombay, brought up in Bombay, studied in Bombay - Hard core Bombayite.
Tell us something about your family and background ?
My grandparents came into India and Bombay after partition. So we are the products of partition, I guess. That's my father's side. My mother's side - they are South-Indians. So I am a good mix of the North and the South.
My father has been in theatre. He has been associated with the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA). That's how I started going with him in the evenings. And I used to enjoy, along with all the other kids who would come. We had fun, saw rehearsals, and watched plays. I guess, I really enjoyed myself and I continued doing it. Though I wouldn't say he introduced me only to theatre. He introduced me to a whole lot of things - to music, to dance. I started learning dance from the age of five. I learnt dance for about 13 years. I was also very good at sports. I was put into professional athletics and things like that. I got a lot of encouragement and was exposed to a whole lot of things as a child, and I guess that has helped me. And in the end I decided this was it (acting).
How did your journey into movies start?
I was right out of school when I started getting offers for movies. I did my first film in Marathi, for which I got the Maharashtra State Government's Award for the best actress, and I said 'hey, I am a good actress, so I should continue.' However, in films, it's not about what you really want to do - it's the opportunities that keep coming your way, and you make the most of what you get. That's how it has been with me. I am not the kind of person who will go all out and make things happen. But yes, I do work a lot on what I have. So here I was doing this one movie, and it got me an award. Then I got Shyam Benegal's Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda, and the film got the National Award, WOW! And I was nominated for it - so it was good. Then I did 5-6 films with Mr Benegal, got my National Award for Sardari Begum. So things just happened.
And likewise with music? As the tale goes? you were singing in the Lohri episode of Mirch Masala?
Not Mirch Masala but Superhit Muqabala. It was one of those one-off shows I used to do. I was singing a lot in the show, and the next thing I get a contract to sign! So you see, even this just came my way, and I said 'okay - but now is the time I start working on this'. I was quite apprehensive about it, as I did not have a formal training in music and I didn't think I should really get into something when I am not sure of it. I went to the studio and heard my voice and said, 'That sounds good - only I need to work on it'! You do need to, for anything! And so Hulle Hulla Re happened. Again I did not know what I wanted to sing. But I said to myself, this is one song, which I have sung since my childhood. It's a nice song, I like it, and I knew how to sing it! Amar Haldipur who was doing the music, said it's nice, and so we recorded that first.
Films, theatre, dance, television, music - is there anything in this world that you have left undone?
No, there is a lot in the world that I haven't done (Laughs). Like, I don't paint!
And even within each of these media, you seem to have tried different things?
Yes. I did one Margarita, which was different. It was at a time when people were interested in 104 episodes, but we said we are not doing anything beyond 13. We ended up doing 26. It gave me the Screen Award for the Best Actress. After that I did not see any other serial which really interested me. Not because they are not good subjects, but they are so typical. Same thing was happening with a different name on another channel, or maybe on the same channel! So I did not want to be a part of that, because there is nothing new to do. Meanwhile,Antakshari came at a time when I said 'I think I can do it!' And I was doing it for a limited number of episodes.