Playing a prostitute

Playing a courtesan onscreen has almost always been a staple outing for our B-Town beauties. In the earlier years the actress used to be a mujrewali rather than sex worker. Vyjanthimala (Devdas), Madhubala (Mughal-e-Azam), Meena Kumari (Pakeezah) and Rekha (Muqaddar Ka Sikandar) to name a few.  Only Sharmila Tagore (Mausam) Waheeda Rehman (Pyaasa) and Shabana Azmi (Mandi) were bold enough to play a full-blown street walker.

The newer lot doesn’t shy away from playing a prostitute onscreen. From costumes, to dialogues and body language, they go all out to get it right.
Kareena Kapoor has done two such roles (Chameli and Talaash) while others are Tabu (Chandni Bar) Sushmita Sen (Chingari) Rani Mukherji (Laaga Chunari Mein Daag) Neha Dhupia (Julie) and Aishwarya Rai (Umrao Jaan). The latest in line to play such a character is Kangana Ranaut in Rajjo.

Risky business?



Kangana Ranaut feels that a film’s risk factor has nothing to do with the subject, but the execution, “And that applies to all films not just films based on prostitution. It is not about actresses making bold choices, but filmmakers being ready to explore such topics onscreen. That has been possible because of actresses who have shown that it can be done.” She agrees with most actresses when they say that it’s one of the most defining roles of their careers. “The fact that you are playing a woman who is traditionally looked down upon, takes guts. Plus it’s a kind of role that can’t be taken lightly.”

Bold & Beautiful!



Tabu, who’s been a front runner when it comes to hatke roles for women, feels that it has nothing to do with doing a bold film. “Tags like bold are all perceptions in the audience’s mind. For me as an actor, the script should interest me. The thought about how a Chandni Bar will affect my image did not cross my mind at all, because I believe in doing a role convincingly, not to make it fit my image, or create a bold one for the audience.

A film like this may be more challenging, given its nature, but that challenge is always welcome. In the film, that she was a bar girl wasn’t the only focus, it was her journey that was being told that drew me. So, it wasn’t about me wanting to make a point, but to connect with the audience and make them feel for what my character goes through.”

As for the ground work for the film that won her a National Award, Tabu says that she did visit a few dance bars with director Madhur (Bhandarkar), but it’s impossible to find a point of reference for a role like this. She adds, “You realise that no matter what the profession, at the heart they are still women going through the same emotions as anybody else. Sure, we needed to work on our body languages and mannerisms, but that’s hardly the challenge. The challenge is only in convincing people to look at you beyond the right and wrongs.”

Dus saal baad!



Kareena, who had played Chameli almost a decade ago, says that she had treated her roles both in Chameli and Talaash like she would any other role. “It’s not about playing a sex worker; it’s about understanding what the director wants. My role in Chameli was nothing like my role in Talaash.

The sensibilities of both the directors were different, the story lines and requirements were different.” Was making the decision easier now as opposed to back in 2004? Kareena says, “To some extent, but it has nothing to do with only my character. For me, both were just as exciting. I have never been swayed by what people will think about me playing this character or that. All that matters is that they are convinced by the performance. So, it’s nothing to do with the film being woman-oriented, but with it being audience oriented.”

Claiming sexuality…



Chameli director Sudhir Mishra agrees that films based on this segment of the society don’t have a shock value they once had. But he adds this has nothing to do with the actress playing it or the characters, “There has been a transition in the society where the idea of a heroine being a holier-than-thou-figure has been cast away.

The power balance is tilting and most of the women characters today are not afraid to claim their sexuality. They are independent and unapologetic about asserting their desires and needs on screen. And all of this without being labelled sluts or being tagged bold. So, when this is how a heroine is being accepted, what’s the big deal about any heroine playing a sex worker on the screen? Even in Chameli, the idea was not to titillate, but the soul of the film was this woman wanting to exercise the right to choose and Kareena did not let that dilute.”

No big deal?



Trade analyst Vajir Singh agrees and adds that the only big deal is in the actress playing the role convincingly. Says Vajir, “The role of a prostitute is not the thing generating buzz, it’s who will play that character that arouses curiosity and evokes interest. So, the question is not about accepting the subject, but about accepting the heroine in that role. At the same time, there’s no doubt that casting an A-lister in the role of a sex-worker is a trump card and is also flashed accordingly.”

Sex and sensibility!



According to Madhur Bhandarkar, the biggest challenge in films like these is to not let the topic shift focus from sensibility to sensationalism. The director who besides getting Tabu to play a bar-girl in Chandni Bar, also had Konkona Sen Sharma play a sex worker in Traffic Signal says that the idea is not to make something that’s bold, but to make something that’s real and believable. He adds, “Such films are not a ticket to sell sleaze. And if you look at them, not one film can be accused of vulgarity despite the topics they delve into.”

Get real!
Vishwas Patil (Rajjo) reveals that what has changed over the years in the portrayal is the realism. Currently shooting for a film that is based on the present conditions of nautch girls, the director says, “Today filmmakers are not using the feudal systems as a crutch anymore. They are unapologetic about making hard-hitting films seeped in realism. So to get an actress to agree to not just be a glamourous face, but be ready to play a character stripped off all style may not be a big deal, but it’s certainly a courageous move on the part of the heroine and hence still stands out in comparison.”