The Juggler

Actor Raima Sen is fast becoming a heavyweight in offbeat cinema. Her next release,director Aparna Sens The Japanese Wife,has her playing a widow with a young son.

Actor Raima Sen is fast becoming a heavyweight in offbeat cinema. Her next release,director Aparna Sens The Japanese Wife,has her playing a widow with a young son. Aparna told me that she wanted me to play the character of the widow Sandhya because I have a guileless face. I was very excited,and the film has turned out to be one of my most enriching projects, says Sen,who underwent a 10-day workshop to prepare for the role.

From cutting vegetables on a chopping board to washing clothes,Sen was taught a variety of household chores. I even learnt to wear the sari all by myself, she says with a smile. I was also taught how to smile because,according to Aparna,a mature woman who has a kid,smiles differently. She is very particular about making her characters as real as possible.

While Sen is best known for her roles in Godmother,Chokher Bali,Parineeta and Daman,she refuses to be typecast. I have done a lot of serious roles,but every now and then,I also do mainstream cinema. I have worked in films like Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. and Manorama Six Feet Under. However,if she were to make a choice,it would always be an Aparna Sen film over a commercial film, she states firmly.

What also works in Sens favour is her affinity with Bengali cinema. My next project is a Bengali film with director Rituparno Ghosh, she says,adding that she is currently shooting for the film in Kerala.

Back in Bollywood,Sen has Vinay Shuklas Mirch and Ghoshs Sunglass to look forward to. And,for the first time,she will also be working with her sister Riya Sen in another of Ghoshs Bengali films.

In this film,I play a sophisticated model while Riya is the simple girl. We are kind of switching roles here. Only in reel life,we hope.

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The Juggler

Actor Raima Sen is fast becoming a heavyweight in offbeat cinema. Her next release,director Aparna Sens The Japanese Wife,has her playing a widow with a young son.

Actor Raima Sen is fast becoming a heavyweight in offbeat cinema. Her next release,director Aparna Sens The Japanese Wife,has her playing a widow with a young son.