Aditi Rao Hydari needs no introduction. From South to Bollywood, she has left an indelible mark with her talent, grace and beauty. Now, she is enjoying the success of her recently released show, Jubilee, in which she plays the role of superstar Sumitra Kumari. 

In an exclusive interview with PeepingMoon.com, Aditi spoke about making her grey character look more humane, not judging Sumitra for her questionable reactions and activities and borrowing references from Maharani Gayatri Devi and Audrey Hepburn for the role. The actress shared that she always wanted to be a Mani Ratnam heroine and hence took up the challenge of Kaatru Veliyidai to live that life. 

Excerpts from the interview:

Sumitra Kumari is a grey character. How did you make her humane? 

Sumitra does questionable things after being consumed by the sentiment of revenge but I did have empathy for her. I never judge the characters I play. Sumitra, a star of her era, built a wall between herself and the people around her and couldn't share her feelings with anybody. She could speak to only Jamshed Khan who was also taken away from her. I found two diverse personalities in her. The first one is fragile, vulnerable, and has child-like dreams and desires whereas the other is almost arrogant, sarcastic, so full of herself, and even bitter. It was fun to portray these attributes. While she was wrong in her method, her core was yearning for love. I looked at Sumitra as someone who is trapped in a castle unable to share her true feelings. She does questionable stuff but that’s her way to respond to the situation. I found empathy in her core. I didn’t judge her choices but I did play them honestly.

Parallels between characters in the show and real actors are being drawn. Is your character modelled on any real-life person?

Not just one person but it was a combination of many. Jubilee is not a biopic and I was specifically asked to not copy any actress. The references I could consider were Maharani Gayatri Devi for the royal flavour and Audrey Hepburn for the fragility. As an actor, I had to bring a flavour of sarcasm, and arrogance that’s required to keep people at a distance and to protect yourself from the world. I had to work on that because it doesn’t come naturally to me.

You're called the Queen of Period Dramas. Which yesteryear actress would you like to play in her biopic?

I would love to play Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Nutan, and of course Audrey Hepburn (laughs). I’ll be over the moon.

It’s been over 10 years in the industry for you. What has been your biggest takeaway?

I got to work with some great directors who challenged and nurtured me. I never differentiate between films based on the language. I look at it as Indian cinema. Ever since I decided to become an actor, I dreamt of being a Mani Ratnam heroine. I never stopped dreaming and always savoured the opportunities I received. Films are about feelings and are not bound by language. I am so grateful for the films I have done. My audience gave me so much love, acceptance, and confidence. It made me believe cinema and whatever I do has to be done with pure and honest intention. It is important to spread love and sit in the audience’s heart. If you do that kind of work, you will receive that love and appreciation.

Which is that project that made you step out of your comfort zone?

Nothing makes you comfortable because you are stepping into somebody else’s heart, mind, body, home, clothes, etc so nothing is yours. The challenge I really wanted to take on was Mani Ratnam’s Kaatru Veliyidai. As I said before too, I wanted to be a Mani Ratnam heroine so I wanted to live that. I played a mute girl in Sufiyum Sujatayum and didn’t have a language. It made me realise that to sit in the audience's heart, you don't need to have a language. I would also call Anarkali (Taj-Divided By Blood) one of the toughest roles because of its legacy. Normally, I don't feel it while doing a project. All of this begins during promotions. Sumitra from Jubilee is also different from who I am. I have worked with the best of directors and living up to their challenges is always a challenge.

What’s that one non-negotiable thing for you in your career?

It is very important to work with dignity and in an environment I trust. It has to be challenging and nurturing. I like to be a child on the set, explore, and take risks while knowing that I am being nurtured and protected as an actor. I tend to stay away from experiences that don't assure me of this. 

Did you ever have to reject projects because they weren’t matching your ideology?

Yes, big ones too. An actor has to spend 60-70 days on a film set and what's in our control is the intention. I believe the intention behind making the project has to be honest. Yes, I understand market and business but intention, creativity, artistry and cinema come before. You need to understand that art is bigger than you. For me, it is never about a big budget, small budget, experienced crew, or inexperienced crew. The intention matters. I believe we all have to say no to something and that’s what makes us who we are.