Indie singer Utsavi Jha, who plays Manoj Bajpayee’s daughter in Gulmohar, on how her music background helped her bag debut film
A still from the film
Acting was never in the scheme of things for Utsavi Jha, who plays Manoj Bajpayee’s younger daughter Amrita in Gulmohar. The singer-actor was the lifestyle editor of a popular tech-lifestyle magazine, before music tugged at her heart. “Singing happened to me midway through my first job. After leaving the job, I started my YouTube channel and released original music in 2020,” begins Jha. At the time, she had no idea that it would lead her to the world of acting.
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In the Sharmila Tagore and Bajpayee-led family drama, Jha’s character is a budding singer. “My director Rahul Chittella wanted a singer-songwriter for the role. After I was approached, I went through almost five-six rounds of audition before they finalised me,” says Jha, who lent her voice to Woh ghar in the film.
While facing the camera was a challenge in itself for the debutant actor, playing a character from the LGBTQiA+ community was a bigger responsibility. “I was scared about not being able to do justice to the part. There was a fear of appearing inauthentic, or seeming preachy. I wanted my portrayal to be honest. I tried feeling every emotion that Amrita experienced, and empathised with her.”
Also Read: Sharmila Tagore said yes to 'Gulmohar' within 3-4 days of reading script
Sharing screen space with Tagore has been a cherished experience for her. “On my first day of shooting with her, I told Sharmila ma’am that I was nervous about acting alongside her. She said, ‘We are all on the same level here, and collectively working towards [realising] the director’s vision. Treat me as your dadi and you’ll feel comfortable.’ She was such a warm presence.”
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