I can't play dumb: Priyanka Bose

She may have started her career with small roles in films like LSD (Love Sex Dhoka), Johnny Gaddar and Guzaarish, but soon enough she made her presence felt with her power-packed performance as a tribal woman in Italian director, Italo Spinelli’s Gangor. And now, Priyanka Bose is only getting busier what with plays, films and television commercials in her pocket.

From a play based on the Delhi gang rape to a TVC that brings forth the issue of remarriage and a film inspired by the story of Sampat Pal and her gang of pink sari-clad women fighting social injustices, all the projects Priyanka has signed on take a strong stand on women sensitive issues. “I can’t do dumb roles. These matters are close to me and someone needs to be telling these stories too. I’d like to do progressive and relevant work. It’s great that advertising is relating to remarriage in such an elegant way.

Remarriage is not an issue; it’s very relevant in today’s day and age. And the TVC is reaching out to a group of people who are celebrating a second life and happiness. Good advertising can change a lot of things,” says Priyanka firmly, adding, “Again, women issues are glorified as if we need help. We don’t, we need people to change that perspective and yes beautiful stories are being etched out and makers are really taking a dip into experiencing strong women characters and not just the stereo types.”

The actress features in the play Nirbhaya, written and directed by a South African playwright Yael Farber based on the December 16 Delhi gang rape. Recently Nirbhaya won the Scotsman Fringe First Award and a Herald Angel Award at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has just won the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award. “This play comes from the pseudonym given to Jyoti Singh Pandey after her death in December 2012 by the press to protect her identity. It is a small gesture towards her from us, ensuring that she didn’t die in vain. Poorna Jagannathan got in touch with Yael and brought her to India, where we work-shopped around the idea of making this piece. The cast came together and we started work in Delhi in an art village called Zorba the Buddha. Yael took stories and experiences from us and within six weeks, we were ready to crawl towards our first previews in London this year before we headed to Edinburgh,” she explains, as she goes on to talk about her next film, Gulaab Gang, where she will be seen playing an integral part along with Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla. 

“The film is directed by Soumik Sen and produced by Anubhav Sinha. I play the role of a gang member who is a tribal and her name is Sandhya. Working with Madhuri Dixit was amazing. She is a classy woman with great grit,” shares the actress. Between all this, Priyanka has also started a production company, PaapiPet Pictures which creates music videos for musicians and bands like Hipnotribe (Dark and delicious), Kailasa (Kailash Kher) and Mikey Mcleary (Bartender). “PaapiPet pictures is a collaboration with two of my friends. We have made short format films and a few music videos, actually whatever has excited us. We get together whenever something interesting comes by for collaboration,” she brings out.

Also in the pipeline…
Her upcoming films also include Sold, a Hollywood project by director Jeffery D Brown, on child trafficking starring Gillian Anderson and David Arquette based on the book Sold by author Patricia McCormick. She will also be seen in Oaas, directed by Abhinav Tiwari and Oonga by Devashish Makhija. Priyanka also plays the lead with Konkona Sen Sharma in the Bengali film, Shunyo Awnko, directed by Goutam Ghose.