Hello everyone! Pranati Rai Prakash, India’s top model and actress, joins us on this edition of #BlabWithSandy. Pranati was a Miss India finalist and the winner of ‘India’s Next Top Model’. She appeared in a number of films as an actress, including Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Love Aaj Kal’. Let’s get right into the amazing conversation I had with Pranati:
Sandy: Hey, Pranati. How are you doing ?
Pranati: I’m doing good, Sandy! 😊
Sandy: Could you throw some light on your background?
Pranati: I was born to an Army officer and have travelled to many cities because of my father’s multiple deployments. I have lived in Port Blair, Kashmir, Trivandrum, Bhatinda, Dehradun, etc. I was born in Dehradun and have lived the majority of my life there, and I adore the city. Although Patna is my hometown, I am Bihari. I identify with the Pahadi culture, yet I am also a Mumbaikar because of my career.
I have travelled across the country and attended 13 different schools. I frequently met new friends at school, and my interests were in academics and athletics.
Sandy: Woah! That means you can be termed as a Pan Indian woman, haha! Coming from an army background, how easy or difficult was it for your parents to let you enter the modelling and acting industry?
Pranati: Haha, funny, Sandy! And about the ease or difficulty, I gave my parents a surprise! I studied at NIFT Fashion College in Mumbai, which was my choice of course. My parents were understanding of my situation, and my father personally brought me to a crash course. I was a bright student who stood out in my class, but they were unaware of my side hustle.
When I first started college, fashion designers encouraged me to pursue modelling since I was tall and slender, and they thought I’d make a fantastic model. I used to have good grades, so it was easy to perform the side hustle. At the Defence Service Officer Daughters Pageant, called the ‘May Queen Ball’, before college at the DSOI, Delhi, I saw a sign for modelling. Another stint was at IIT Mumbai. My designer friend’s model fell sick and she asked me if I could walk for her. I went and won it! An article appeared in the newspaper, and from there began my journey to receive more pageant and modelling invitations.
My parents used to come and watch me perform and win titles. I believe, it was a gradual acceptance.
Sandy: You were a finalist at Miss India 2015 and the winner of India’s Next Top Model. It helped you gain a lot of recognition and success. Some anecdotes from your first modelling experience.
Pranati: Sandy, it’s a lovely journey. These aspirations are precious, and growing up in small towns, wardrobe choices were limited. When I was a kid, I only had a few alternatives, but my imagination was filled with creative thoughts. As a result, my passion for clothing and barbies inspired me to seek a career in design and modelling.
Doing ramp performances and photoshoots gave me a rush and made me want to do even more! I didn’t regard modelling as a career, but rather as a sacred profession.
Sandy: Not all models become actors. How and when did the acting bug bite you?
Pranati: I’ve always wanted to act, but I didn’t know how. Haha! I am passionate about expressiveness and all types of art. I learnt to express myself through design, modelling, singing, and dance. And, when it comes to expressing myself, acting is the most important way for me!
Sandy: Be it ‘Family of Thakurganj’, ‘Love Aaj Kal’, or ‘Odd Couple’, your roles did create an impact. How was your experience acting in films?
Pranati: All of my films have taught me a lot. Again, they made me enter a new universe of outfits, dialogues, places, established new families on set, and there was so much to play around with.
I am a Bihari with a fast-paced Hindi and a unique dressing style. I never got to spend much time with my father because he was posted in different cities and travelled a lot. However, movies forced me to portray characters who required me to stay with my reel-life parents, and I felt a completely different chemistry.
One senior person gave me this statement: “A superstar is someone the camera loves, and a great actor is someone the microphone loves,” and that has stuck with me ever since.
In terms of ‘Love Aaj Kal’, I had the opportunity to work with director Imtiaz Ali, which I had always wanted to do! I used to wonder how he created the characters in his films, as they are both unique and relatable.
In the film ‘Mannphodganj Ki Binny’, I immersed myself in the role of Binny, which influenced my spiritual development.
Sandy: Models/actresses typically begin their acting careers with lead roles, sometimes as the sole female protagonist. However, this does not appear to be the case with you. Didn’t you wish to go the same path? Because you played leading roles as well as cameo roles in the films in which you appeared.
Pranati: I believe a number of factors play the part. The goal is to be the hero in all I do! I think the idea of creating a heroic persona for myself is amazing. I have been greatly inspired by my father, who is a hero in every way. But sometimes telling stories becomes essential, and if there’s a key role in the narrative, I’m willing to take it. I accepted the part in “Love Aaj Kal,” for instance, because it allowed me to work under Imtiaz Ali’s direction. I had the chance, albeit brief, to collaborate with Kartik Aryan.
Sandy: You’ve acted in OTT. A few examples include ‘Poison’ and ‘Cartel’. How does performing in a movie differ from being a part of the same but on an OTT platform, in your opinion?
Pranati: My acting experience includes cinema, theatre, and OTT. I’ve also done street plays and musicals, and I’ve gained valuable experience in all of them. The unifying thread is that we get to work with enthusiastic people. The project improves as the number of passionate people increases. The storytelling differs, but I believe that the storylines and roles in the OTT arena are much better currently. We get to meet and act with an ensemble cast, which provides an excellent opportunity to engage and learn from one another.
Quick Shot Round:
– Your biggest fear: Not being with the love of my life
– If not an actress/model, Pranati would have been a: Doctor
– Favorite actor/actress: Many! Audrey Hepburn, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Lawrence, Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathway, Preity Zinta, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, pheww, the list is long, Sandy!
– A film/role that you watched in the recent past and wish you were a part of it: Indian version of ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ and Priyanka Chopra’s role in ‘Barfi’
– Imagine being stuck in a lift with two other film personalities, who would you wish them to be and why? SRK and Kareena. That’s because SRK is so wise, and I’d listen to anything he and Kareena have to say since I aspire to be as sophisticated as she is.
– A habit of yours you’d like to change: Hmmm.., I have a habit of opening up to people very quickly
– Good and Bad about the film industry: Good is that it’s such a beautiful place. People observe people and make movies on them. Actors typically live it all. The Bad is that there isn’t assured work for all. It would be wonderful if there was a guaranteed job for everyone. Uncertainty in the workplace poses a significant risk for professionals in this area.
– Most used app on your phone: Instagram
– What is that something which you have that other actresses your age, do not? Being an army kid has instilled in me a strong work ethic. I’m pretty honest and raw.
– If you were to barter your career for a day, with whom would it be and why? Zendaya! She is perfect in her roles and I adore her career moves
– Your go-to food: Kadi chawal
– Given a chance to tweak something in your filmography, what would it be? Work with many more filmmakers who I admire! There is a large list. Regarding the South, I’d love to work with directors SS Rajamouli and Hanu Raghavapudi.
Sandy: Since it’s all about PAN India right now, how do you see the future of film, particularly in terms of roles? Also, what are your thoughts on South cinema? Have you recently viewed any and liked them? You performed a song in Vishwak Sen’s “Das Ka Dhamki.”
Pranati: The song in ‘Das ka Dhamki’ was a challenge for me because I had to dance in heels, hehe! Though it appears fantastic on film, I had to dance in smaller shoes and my feet felt broken. But I cherish the experience because I had to dance 12 hours a day for five days among Russian dancers.
Regarding Pan Indian films, I have seen Malyalam films such as ‘Mrs.’ and thoroughly enjoyed them. I am willing to work in all languages.
Sandy: What kind of roles interest you?
Pranati: I’d like to play characters that highlight the ultimate kind of love. I am an athlete and I like to keep myself fit. So I’d like to do both a love story and an action flick.
Sandy: Any advise you’d like to provide to aspiring artists, given that you’ve only recently kickstarted your career.
Pranati: Yes, my advice is not to become a part of the rat race. Just find your voice, push yourself in direction of your voice and maintain your authentic self. That’s what your USP is going to be!
Sandy: What’s in the pipeline for Pranati in the coming months?
Pranati: I am waiting for my three projects to be released. I’m also working on a movie that was supposed to start but was postponed due to weather issues. I’ll chat with you more about it when they get closer to release.😊
Sandy: A few words about TheHyderabadLocal.Com.
Pranati: It’s fun to interact with you, Sandy! Our sentiments echoed, and being filmy is our thing, hehe. All the best, and I hope we can collaborate on a project sometime!
Interview by Sandy (Sandeep Rao)
Follow Pranati @pranati_rai_prakash
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