Rasika Dugal: Working on an improvised film is an actor's delight

Mumbai, Feb 8

Actress Rasika Dugal, who is awaiting the release of her upcoming film 'Fairy Folk', feels that working on an improvised film brings absolute delight to an actor as they get to push the envelope of their craft.

'Fairy Folk', which is an evocative film about human relationships, garnered a lot of positive response at the Sydney Film Festival, the Chicago International Film Festival, MAMI Film Festival and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The film also stars Rasika’s husband, Mukul Chadda, and has been directed by Karan Gour.

Sharing her opinion, the actress said in a statement: “Working on an improvised film is an actor's delight. This style of shooting gave us the room to explore the many odd things that people do and say when they find themselves in unprecedented situations, the beautiful oddities that sometimes get lost in the need to write a 'logical' script. It was so much fun to play off skilled improvisers. This is the kind of film which is a must-have in the life of an actor.”

The makers of the film recently launched a new trailer and poster of the film that delves deep into the complexities of human relationships in a way that blurs the line between the real and the imagined.

For Mukul Chadda, the film is very different from any other film he has worked on. He said: “First, in terms of its narrative which brilliantly uses magical realism to tell a very grounded story of relationships and desire that is both funny and tragic. And second, Karan's improvised way of filmmaking made it both challenging and fun to work on this. I wish more films are made like this.”

'Fairy Folk' probes diverse facets of life with elements of magical realism. It scrutinises the pursuit for identity, explores the reasons humans are drawn to one another and probes the layered nuances of love with a gaze that is both incisive and empathetic.

Karan Gour said: “Whenever I am asked to describe 'Fairy Folk', I say that it is a fairytale of sorts but not in a literal sense. While there is an element of magic, it’s grounded in the real world, which I feel gives it a universal appeal. As we prepare for the film's theatrical release, I do hope people will come in large numbers to experience what we have created.”

Produced collaboratively by Empatheia Films, Annukampa Harsh’s Balawala Cinema, and Timbuktu Films, which is backed by actors Nakuul Mehta, Alekh Sangal, and filmmaker Ajay Singh, 'Fairy Folk' is set to have its theatrical release in India on March 1.