Exclusive: Radhika Apte, Rajkummar Rao, Vasan Bala On Their Dark And Quirky ‘Monica, O My Darling’, Non-Stereotypical Roles, Crime Comedy Genre
Have you ever had a really bad day but receiving one good news not only made it bearable but also lifted your mood? Well, the exact same thing happened to me when I got the news that I am going to interview three versatile artists of Indian cinema. Yep, I’m talking about actors Radhika Apte, Rajkummar Rao, and filmmaker Vasan Bala. Huma Qureshi, Rajkummar Rao, and Radhika Apte starrer Monica, O My Darling is all set to premiere on Netflix and there is no doubt that the quirky and dark trailer of the film has already created a lot of buzz. Written and directed by Vasan Bala, the neo-noir crime comedy thriller film also features Sikander Kher, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, Bagavathi Perumal, Sukant Goel, and Zayn Marie Khan in pivotal roles.
View this post on Instagram
During the conversation, Radhika Apte, Rajkummar Rao, and Vasan Bala opened up about many things including portraying non-stereotypical roles, the pros of the crime comedy genre, and their quirky and ekdum hatke characters.
Here is how our conversation went:
Q. The trailer is quite dark and hilarious at the same time. Tell us something about Monica, O My Darling.
Vasan Bala: Monica, O My Darling is a fun film, aaj kal jaise sablog 80% dark chocolate bhi khaa lete hai, toh yeh bhi waisi hi hai. Kadwa hai but sehat ke liye accha hai (You know how people eat 80% dark chocolate, so the film is just like that. It is bitter but it is good for your health).
View this post on Instagram
Rajkummar Rao: It is a dark, fun, and quirky thriller that came from the mind of Vasan Bala. And as you can see in the trailer, you will feel very attached to these characters and you will be with them. You will be rooting for them but you have to decide which one you want to root for. After a long time, I really enjoyed watching a Hindi film.
Radhika Apte: I felt the same way. After a really long time, I really enjoyed watching the film. It’s bonkers and so much fun. And being on the set was so delightful and working with Vasan is inspiring and makes you feel safe. You can experiment with whatever you want to do but he (Vasan Bala) knows what he wants. He is a very kind man who keeps his anger to himself somehow. Sometimes I was like “Oh, he’s angry” and he will be like “No, something else has gone wrong.” But he never displaces his anger which is a great quality. I displace my anger and I have worked with a lot of people who do that but not him which is an incredible quality.
Q. Tell us something about your characters.
Rajkummar: Jayant Arkhedkar is a guy from a small town. He is aspirational and a go-getter. He’s got big dreams and he can do anything to make them come true.
View this post on Instagram
Radhika: ACP Naidu is unabashedly corrupt and loves her authority and her job. I think she’s crazy.
View this post on Instagram
Q. Radhika, we have moved from the big screen to OTT platforms, how do you think that transition has impacted the quality of the content that we are creating in the Indian entertainment industry?
Radhika Apte: There are three things that are coming to my mind right now. First, the OTT platforms have brought content from across the world quite close to each other. So, a lot of international content is easily available to people and you are also directly competing with content from all over the world. Second thing, you don’t have to pay for an extra ticket to watch something else. So if you get bored with something, you can easily switch to another film or series. It basically means that all the shows and films have equal opportunity, which you don’t get in films that release in theatres.
And third, I think it has generated a lot of employment, which means that many writers, makers, actors, and technicians are getting opportunities. And so many people are working after such a long time because it is all about the content.
Q. Vasan, you have been a part of crime comedy thrillers before, what is it about this genre that appeals to you the most?
Vasan Bala: You can come out with a lot of truth and still laugh at it, no one will feel bad or the sentiments aren’t hurt. So under the garb of all these extremes, I think you can say a lot of things which is what genre films have been doing for the past 100 years. You can just keep what you want to say hidden and those who get it, they get it. Otherwise, you’re watching an entertaining film.
View this post on Instagram
Also Read: ‘Monica O My Darling’ Trailer: We Can’t Wait To See Huma As An Enchanting Cabaret Dancer. Rajkummar, Radhika Have Us Cracking Up!
Q. Rajkummar, all the characters that you played are very different from the typical Bollywood hero. So, what made you stay away from playing the stereotypical hero? What is it about the non-traditional hero that you like?
Rajkummar Rao: I like the characters to whom I can relate. Yes, you are right, I have never really played the so-called conventional hero. But also, I didn’t get many opportunities as well. If I would have gotten a chance to portray such roles, maybe I would have given them my voice. I would have made them different.
Also, I never wanted to be a part of the herd, I always wanted to do something different, things which might surprise the audience and say “Oh, it could have been done this way too, I would have never imagined.” I like surprising myself, the audience, and my director.
View this post on Instagram
Q. So, you never wanted to portray the typical romantic hero?
Rajkummar: I’m a die-hard romantic at heart. If ever given a chance, I would love to do a pure love story and nothing else. I think love stories are beautiful. There’s so much happening in a love story and it’s filled with emotions. But the story should be relatable.
Q. Radhika, you have time and again portrayed non-traditional female characters on screen, is ACP Naidu also one of those? What pushed you to take up such hatke roles and what are the challenges you have faced?
Radhika Apte: Actually, I’m very grateful for the roles that came my way. As an actor, you are always looking out for things that will not be in your comfort zone, which will make you a little bit nervous about doing them and will make you think “Will I be able to do it?” It’s a great opportunity, so I’m actually very happy that those non-traditional female characters came to me. And doing the same thing over and over again can get a bit boring. You want to explore different personalities and characters and that is one of the main reasons why we all are here.
View this post on Instagram
Vasan Bala: Also, stereotypical characters don’t work anymore. You have to add something new.
Q. Radhika and Rajkummar, you both don’t have a film background, so the pressure on you must be high. How do you deal with that?
Rajkummar Rao: Actually, there was no pressure just because we don’t come from a film background. In my case, I never had a plan B because I always wanted to become an actor. Luckily, it worked out for me, I’m happy and I hope it continues forever. But there was no pressure, aisa nahi tha ki yeh nahi toh ghar jaake mujhe engineering karke koi job karni padegi.
Radhika Apte: For me, it was quite an advantage. I remember when Badlapur came out, it became a commercially hit film and a week later my mom finally called me and said, “Yes, we have booked tickets to watch Badlapur tonight.” They watched it and nobody called me but in the evening my mother called me for something else and after a long conversation she finally said, “Oh, we watched the film, Nice movie ha!” So, it is really good that they don’t consider this profession a ‘be-all and end-all’.
View this post on Instagram
Also Read: Radhika Apte Talks About Living Up To The Actor’s Image, Says She Doesn’t Want To Iron Her Dresses, And Blow Dry Hair Everyday. She’s A Mood!
Q. On a lighter note, let’s play a quick game. Who amongst you looks very sweet and innocent but can commit a perfect crime?
Rajkummar Rao: Radhika, for sure.
Q. If given a chance, which iconic villain you would like to play?
Rajkummar Rao: I would love to play the Joker from The Dark Knight.
Radhika Apte: Me too.
Vasan Bala: I think Harley Quinn is also amazing, she is incredible. I think I would love to do what Mohanlal did in the film Company. Not much pressure.
My inner fangirl is on cloud nine right now!
You can take a look at the Monica, O My Darling trailer here:
Monica, O My Darling is currently streaming on Netflix.
Patralekhaa’s Roman Holiday With RajKummar Rao Has Filled Our Instagram Feeds With Pretty Skies And Luxe Prints
