How Frau Suzanne Bernert became Sonia Gandhi

Actor Suzanne Bernert’s reprisal of Congress supremo is being spoken about as much if not more than the Accidental Prime Minister. Here, she talks about her career and more

Were you the first choice to play Sonia Gandhi?

There is a little back and forth about this. I am not quite sure, but I heard rumours that there was an Italian actress that they had looked at...

Looks or accent, what worked in your favour?

My Hindi worked in my favour. I’m a blonde blue-eyed German and hence a bit opposite of what was needed. But that is where the acting comes into play.

How did you prepare for the role? Were there workshops or did you watch her videos?

I had one-on-one readings with Vijay [Gutte], my director who put me on the path and his vision. I try to be as blank a page as possible so that I can be what the director wants and needs for his story... I was also given video links by the team to work on the whole character. I had favourite videos that I watched on loop. My method of approaching any role is to work from the inside out. After some time it all starts coming together. And when you are in get up, that’s the last piece of the puzzle. Then you are the person you are portraying.

Can you tell us about your styling for the role? Did you get to have a say?

Styling was impeccable from the go. I fell in love with the exquisite saris that Abhilasha [Srivastava], the stylist brought. I think she really went out of her way to get the same look as the original. The glasses also were a key element, so was the watch and the earrings. Even my shoes were the same as I saw in pictures. The only thing we had a little trouble with was getting the contact lenses that would make my eyes dark brown. As I said I have blue eyes and getting a very dark shade was not easy. Finally, they found them in England where we had our first schedule of shoot. I had two different wigs for different times in her life. First we decided to colour my hair and like a typical actor I was all for it. But my hair is fine and straight and would not curl up in the way it needed to. So wigs were ordered. I think all in all I had maybe four look tests. And on the last one Vijay and Hansal Mehta were very happy with the result.

Accidental Prime Minister is not your first outing as Sonia Gandhi?

No, I played her at a different time in her life for 7RCR.

Do you now see yourself as the go-to person filmmakers will come to, to play Sonia?

Maybe... let’s see what will happen.

Do you follow Indian politics? How do you react to the political eddies created by the movie?

I do follow the news but I am not a political person nor do I support any party. Every movie in India is getting into a controversy these days, so it was expected.

You’ve acted in a mytho-historical TV drama before. How would you contrast this with your current work?

I don’t think you can compare TV shows with a movie. A TV show has very long hours, lot of pressure due to time constraints, instant popularity if it is a hit. A movie, on the other hand gives you more time. More time to prepare, to rehearse, to discuss, to act. Especially this movie... it was a superb experience. Also a movie is for a lifetime.

You are married with an Indian actor Akhil Mishra. How did you meet?

In 2005, Akhil was toying with the idea of a certain play that needed a foreign actress. I’d just landed in Mumbai and was dreaming of performing at Prithvi Theatre. Someone made the introduction and we put up the play Hello Spring in 2006-7. So my dream of Prithvi came true and as a side effect we fell in love (laughs)

How do people back home in Germany react to your career & fame here in India?

My parents are very proud and my few friends find it fascinating. Only one TV channel in Germany shows Bollywood hits with SRK, the other is a Zee Channel in German that shows TV shows by Zee (all paradubbed in German). So Germany in itself is unaware of my career here, except in the area where I grew up.

Do you fear being typecast to play the foreigner like Tom Alter and others have been?

Looking back at my 12 years in the industry I’ve done plenty of interesting and different characters.Yes, foreigners or NRI... but from a Greek queen to an art student, from firangi bahu to a cookery queen, from sword fights to making modaks. I’ve had the opportunity to work in Bengali cinema with Aparna Sen, Shibo Prasad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy. I did a Marathi superhit with my own lavani dance (Gallit Ghondal Dillit Mujra). I was part of a celebrity dance reality show on lavani. I did TV and movies in Marathi. From a French sculptress opposite Aamir Khan to a tough police woman with a heart of gold opposite Renuka Shahane. Chasing Robbers besides Paresh Rawal as his wife in No Problem in South Africa and falling in love with an Indian in Honeymoon Travels in Goa. Makarand Deshpande, in fact changed a character in his story as he wanted to work with me in Shah Rukh bola khoobsurat hai tu. I feel like that I got a tremendous variety and I feel grateful for all the opportunities and roles I got.

What other projects are on the anvil for you?

Talks are on but it is too early to talk about it.