A novel experience: Lena on shooting for Footprints on Water

We had reported earlier that Nimisha Sajayan, Adil Hussain and Lena are starring in a British-Indian feature titled Footprints on Water, helmed by Nathalia Syam. Nathalia's sister Neetha Syam scripted the film, which revolves around a father — an illegal immigrant in the UK — searching for his missing daughter while evading the police. Adil plays the father while Nimisha and Lena essay the daughter and stepmom, respectively. 

The team is currently in Kerala for a couple of days to shoot some portions of the film. Producer Mohan Nadar, whose London-based The Production Headquarters is backing it, believes they have made a great film and aims to send it to the international festivals, followed by a theatrical release. 

Lena, who is coming off the success of her latest theatrical release, Saajan Bakery Since 1962, spoke to us briefly about her role in Footprints on Water.

How were your days on the UK sets of the film when the pandemic raged?

The lockdown was not yet in place while I was filming. We completed filming on schedule, and at the time, the Indian government banned flights from the UK landing in India, which held us up a big deal. After getting stalled following a few days of shoot, the crew was waiting for fights to resume while heavy lockdown was in effect in the UK. We had to comply with strict restrictions of movement and number of people, and also sanitisation protocols. However, the family atmosphere created by the team, especially Adil Hussain, Alagappan sir, Nathalia, and Neetha Syam, was so comforting.

What has been the highlight of your character, a stepmom to Nimisha Sajayan's character?

The highlight of my role is not so much about being the stepmother of Meera (Nimisha Sajayan) as the wife of Adil Hussain’s character, Raghu. I shared the screen with him the most and had a great time working with him. He is truly an amazing actor and human being. Sudha is a character I thoroughly enjoyed portraying since she has so many shades and is unorthodox.

How was it working under a female director?

It has been a sheer joy to work with Nathalia and realise how different the female perspective on filmmaking is. One gets to see how a female director sees emotions and approaches the cinematic language differently from the male directors I have worked with. Nathalia is exceptionally clear about what she wants in terms of the look, emotion, and perspective of the character, while also being open to the actor’s angle. Working with this talented young lady has been a wonderful experience.