Exclusive: Sandhya Suri Reveals If Shahana Goswami Was Her First Choice For Santosh: “I Wanted To Cast A Non-Actor…”
Santosh has made it to the Oscars Shortlist. Read our exclusive for more.
Anyone, especially a cinephile should never miss the opportunity of watching a film that revolves around hard-hitting themes packed with powerful performance and direction. And Sandhya Suri’s Santosh should be on that must-watchlist. I recently got the chance to speak to the director and lead actor Shahana Goswami of the film. During the conversation, Sandhya Suri spoke about the casting process and whether Shahana was her first choice. Read our exclusive here.
Were Shahana Goswami, Sunita Rajwar Your First Choices For Santosh?
Santosh director Sandhya Suri said, “I never know enough when I am writing. I don’t keep people in my mind while writing so I hadn’t thought of anybody at all actually. I thought I was going to cast Santosh as a total non-actor from the street.”
She added, “But when I had them together finally, we did a chemistry test, and then it became quite clear that it was going too well. When I saw them together, we played some scenes out, we played some silently as well, and then I looked at the chemistry, not between lovers but between the two female leads which was also nice.”
Also Read: MAMI Film Festival 2024: Angammal, The Substance, And More Films Worth Watching!
Sandhya Suri praised her lead actors and said, “Both Shahana and Sunita were non-diva like which was very essential to me. We weren’t going to have any big thing on the set, it was going to be a very hard and authentic shoot, down to earth. And they were so game for that. We did not have any ridiculous demands, they were both so down to earth. Even during the research period, it was so good.”
Recalling their memories together, Sandhya Suri said, “We used to make food in Sunita’s rice cooker, we didn’t like much hotel food. And I did the same when it was my place. It was like being in a hostel with friends.”
Santosh has made it to the Oscars Shortlist. And the good news is that PVR INOX is bringing this brilliant film to India in January 2025. Don’t forget to watch it!
First Published: December 24, 2024 3:57 PM
