'Chingari is my tribute to Durga & Kali'

Page

sheetal

@sheetald

Rocker

Posted: 19 years ago

Sushmita Sen

If you are wondering about Sushmita Sen's fervent gesture of promoting Kalpana Lajmi's Chingari even after getting mired in 'a kissing controversy', don't be surprised.

We hear that her pent-up emotions for co-star Anuj Sawhney have been relegated to the back burner at the behest of divine intervention. Sen confesses that her tremendous faith in Goddess Durga and Kali led her to lap up the film, when Lajmi approached her.

"The film traces the journey of Basanti at the age of 14 when she was sold to a p*** and till the time she decides to strike back after being wronged. I agreed to do the film because of my faith in Ma Durga and Kali," she says.

Going by the plot

The climax of the film sees an exploited Basanti rising from her ashes to assume a rebellious godly figure when she decides to crush all the vices rampant in a remote village.

Armed with a trident, she embodies the fury of the god themselves at the exploitative acts masterminded by popular god men.

The actress who has been a devout follower of Durga and Kali since her childhood days was excited at the possibility of such developments in the plot when the director had narrated it.

My tribute to the gods

"Chingari will always secure the position of a special film in my career. It's a tribute to my Goddesses — Durga and Kali in my own humble way. All that I have in life is faith and no room for belief. This is because doubt exists on the other side of belief," says Sen.

Sush turns chipku

Talking about her preparations for playing a rustic character on screen Sen informs that she was provided with a big bottle of Johnson's baby oil, bindis and glass bangles as makeup and accessories.

"I simply had to oil myself and work on my speech, which had to reflect that rural touch. In fact, on the first day of shoot, I enquired with Kalpana Lajmi about whether she really wanted me to appear like that. It has been an enriching journey for me," she says.

Enormous exercise

The film has been an exhaustive exercise for the actress. There have been occasions where the director had to pack up and make the leading lady leave the sets.

Says Sen, "My eyes welled up while canning the Dulhan dulhan song sequence and a few other scenes. I became oblivious of my own existence and became quite vulnerable while playing Basanti. No other character has left such an impact on me."