Amruta Khanvilkar: ‘On first day, I was told I could be kidnapped’

Amruta Khanvilkar

Amruta Khanvilkar considers it a stroke of luck that she chanced upon Hansal and Jai Mehta's series Lootere while they were scouting for actors. The pirate thriller not only gave her the opportunity to work with South African actors, but also offered her a strong female character in the male-dominated show. In conversation with mid-day, the actor - who is primarily seen in Marathi projects - talks about the challenges of working in South Africa during the pandemic, and the long wait for the show's release.

Edited excerpts from the interview

What was the brief given to you?
I was auditioning for a role at the casting director's office in Andheri, when I learnt that Hansal Mehta is making a series that is being shot internationally with foreign actors. I begged for the audition script. When I read the script, I found it powerful. Later, I met Jai [Mehta, director], who is a young and enthusiastic chap. Lootere is a male-dominated show and he wanted Avika to be someone who wouldn't spare anyone. She gets married to Vikrant [Vivek Gomber], and hopes that he will help her escape from Somalia. Avika was mentally and physically trapped; that was to reflect in my body language, clothes, even in my eyes.

What was the first day on the set like?
On my first day [of shoot] in South Africa, I was in a vanity van and the door was left open [to combat] the heat. A unit hand came running to warn me to lock the door, or I could risk getting kidnapped. Sometimes, we'd be ready to head to the location, but something would disrupt the shoot. The language was difficult to comprehend, plus this was amid the pandemic. For almost two-and-a-half months, I'd leave my hotel, go for the shoot and come right back to the hotel. I'd go out only when the entire cast and crew did.

Did you manage to do sightseeing?
I remember going out with my DoP [Jall Coswasji] and trying paragliding. By the end of the shoot, we had all become a little homesick. The unit was shooting for over seven months, which is long. It felt longer because we were far, in between COVID waves, and it was trying our patience.

Was it tough to portray a character who feels suffocated?
It gets to you because you are already in a [restricted atmosphere]. We all felt trapped during COVID. Plus, in South Africa, if I had to go somewhere, someone had to be sent with me. So, I took inspiration from that and my surroundings, especially from my first day when I was told I could be kidnapped.

Does the long wait between shoot and release bother you?
The waiting period is the most testing time. I shot about three to four web series two years ago. I shot for a Vishal Furia crime thriller series after I returned from South Africa. [For this interview], I had to call up Jai to give me a recap about it because it has been a while since we shot for this. There is anxiety around a show's final outcome. As actors, I feel we are paid for the patience we have, not only in terms of money, but also future offers.

Had you heard about the pirate world before doing this series?
We've seen this world in international shows; this is the first time it's being tackled in an Indian series. It was a daring move to shoot such a subject and bring two cultures together. Half the time, they shot on a ship where it'd often get extremely cold, so much so that one couldn't even touch the metal railings. The people shooting aboard had seen dolphins and whales; they sustained injuries. It wasn't an easy shoot. I'm glad the boys pulled it off.

How was it interacting with actors from a different culture?
There is a South African officer in the series. He is about six feet in height with a heavy build, but he was gentle and soft-spoken. He is the sweetest person I've met. Jai also enjoyed talking to South African actors. Their school of acting is so different; it was a learning opportunity.