Actor Sanya Malhotra says working with acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Kashyap on the upcoming feature Bandar was a transformative experience and she thoroughly enjoyed 'surrendering' to his vision.
Sanya said Anurag, known for critical hits such as Black Friday (2004), Dev. D (2009), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Mukkabaaz (2018), shares filmmaking sensibilities with Anurag Basu, with whom she collaborated on the 2020 film Ludo.
“He (Kashyap) is so good. I didn't read the script. I had no idea what I was going to be a part of. I truly enjoy that process. The last time it happened was during Ludo. I was quite discombobulated on that set but I did enjoy that whole process. I'm a first bencher when it comes to acting, I love to do my homework, I would create backstories for my characters,” the actor told PTI in an interview.
"When the directors are like, 'You just have to listen to us, don't think too much'. I like that process as well. I surrendered. We created magic in each and every scene,” she added.
Headlined by Bobby Deol, Bandar is said to be inspired by real-life events and follows the story of a fading star accused of rape, shining a light on systemic injustices, silenced voices in courtrooms, and the harsh realities of a deeply flawed legal framework.
Sanya plays the role of the sister of Bobby's character, Samar.
Recalling filming for one of the challenging scenes for the movie, Sanya said she could showcase the raw authenticity in it only because of the environment that Anurag created on the sets.
'I've all my scenes with Bobby sir.... There is a scene in the film where I got so angry that I could not stand, my legs were shaking. My co-actor was literally holding me,” she said.
"They could not keep that take... I'm screaming at him and he is crying. We had no dialogues, whatsoever. I don't know how we were able to do this. It was only because of Anurag Kashyap... It's the craziest, the most fulfilling experience ever,” she added.
Produced by Nikhil Dwivedi, Bandar also stars Saba Azad, and Sapna Pabbi. Anurag has written the film's script in collaboration with Sudip Sharma of Paatal Lok and Kohrra fame.