Being Konkona Sen Sharma

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Konkona Sen Sharma never really wanted to be an actor. Any job—journalist or secretary—that fetched a salary at the end of the month would have been fine for her. She strayed into acting and now is one of India’s finest actors.

Anuradha SenGupta spoke to Konkona Sen Sharma on the location of Metro.

Anuradha SenGupta: Konkona, this is going to be fun, as we are going to chase you in between takes.

Konkona Sen Sharma: It is not going to be fun for me, because every time I finish there I have to come here.

Anuradha SenGupta: Konkona, you are one of the finest actors of our generation. Have you got used to people telling you this?

Konkona Sen Sharma: No. I mean it is lovely to hear that, actually. Thank you.

Anuradha SenGupta: The last film I saw of yours was Omkara and there hasn’t been a release after that. You just stole the show. I still remember that scene when Ajay brings Kareena home you run around teasing him.

Konkona Sen Sharma: Yes, that was the first scene. I was so nervous because the dialect is alien to me. In any case my Hindi is just OK. I was nervous because I had to run around say things on time and also remember to do all kinds of other things.

Anuradha SenGupta: Nobody could tell that though. I still remember that bit where you say, ‘Kauwe ke moon mein barfi.’ Do you remember the lines that you said at that time?

Konkona Sen Sharma: Yes. Amawas ke gode mein chandarma. Kauwe ke moo me barfi. I do not even know the meaning of some of those words.

Anuradha SenGupta: But how do you remember all these words?

Konkona Sen Sharma: I have a very bad memory, which I think is going to be a problem for me as I grow older. I really cannot remember lines.

Anuradha SenGupta: Do you remember the accent that you had as Mrs Iyer in Mr & Mrs Iyer?

Konkona Sen Sharma: Yes, I do remember some of it. You know what happened to me after doing that film? I had to do a play in English and I kept talking in a South Indian accent. The accent stayed with me for a while.

Anuradha SenGupta: From the Bengali film Ek Je Ache Konya to Omkara. From Titli to Mr & Mrs Iyer and everything in between that I have seen you as, you have been those characters for me. I don’t go away from the film thinking of Konkona, I think of the girl or the woman that you played. Try and help me understand how it was?