Exclusive - 'Anurag Kashyap and Guneet Monga open doors, independent films struggle to walk through,' says Priyanka Bose

Actress Priyanka Bose

Priyanka Bose, known for her fearless and nuanced performances in Oscar nominated film Lion and Amazon Prime's The Wheel of Time, is gearing up for a busy season at the movies.

Her upcoming film Jugnuma – The Fable, directed by Raam Reddy of Thithi fame and presented by Anurag Kashyap and Guneet Monga, releases in cinemas on September 12.

In the lyrical tale steeped in magical realism, she stars opposite Manoj Bajpayee as Nandini, a character she describes as carrying “immense weight, but without any outward theatrics.”

The film, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, has already garnered international acclaim, winning Best Film at Leeds and the Special Jury Prize at MAMI.

Priyanka’s other anticipated release, Kanu Behl's Agra (premiered at Cannes), arrives in theatres on October 10.

In an interview with Moneycontrol, Priyanka spoke about the stillness of her character Nandini, the universal resonance of silence, the invaluable support of voices like Anurag Kashyap and Guneet Monga and more.

Excerpts from the exclusive interview:

Jugnuma: The Fable trailer looks intriguing to say the least. You totally own your character Nandini opposite Manoj Bajpayee. Tell us, how did you approach embodying that quiet strength and emotional weight in a setting tinged with magical realism?

For me, Nandini was about stillness. She is a woman carrying immense weight, but without any outward theatrics. Raam’s world is layered with magical realism, and I felt that the only way to ground that was through silence, through breath. I approached her as someone who has learned to exist between the seen and unseen — her strength lies in what she chooses not to say, and that’s where the emotional weight rests.

The film is already making waves. It won Best Film at Leeds and the Special Jury Prize at MAMI. How has seeing such wide, international appreciation shaped your connection with this role?

When you work on a film like this, you’re not thinking about awards — you’re thinking about truth. But when audiences across cultures connect, it tells me that Nandini’s silence, her pain, her resilience, isn’t just Indian or rural or female — it’s universal. That’s been a deeply humbling realisation.

Raam Reddy has crafted something deeply personal and lyrical in Jugnuma. What was it like collaborating with him, and how did his vision influence your portrayal of Nandini?

Raam has this rare quality of listening deeply — to people, to landscapes, to silences. He creates from intuition. That makes you want to surrender as an actor. He never imposed, but guided gently, and that allowed me to discover Nandini’s interiority without forcing anything.

With names like Anurag Kashyap and Guneet Monga presenting the film, both known for championing path-breaking cinema, do you feel their backing helps amplify the film’s prospects? If so, in what way?

Absolutely. Their names carry trust. They open doors that independent films often struggle to walk through. But more than that, they legitimise voices like Raam’s and characters like Nandini, giving them a wider platform. That kind of amplification is invaluable.

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Looking back at your powerful projects like Agra and Lion, which left a mark at Cannes and the Oscars — would you say these experiences with your previous hard-hitting characters in any way prepared you for the emotional depth required in Jugnuma?

Every role leaves a residue. Lion taught me the power of restraint; Agra taught me the courage to be unflinchingly raw. With Jugnuma, I had to hold both those lessons — the vulnerability and the discipline. I don’t think you can prepare consciously; but the scars from past work guide you.

With Jugnuma – The Fable arriving in theatres this September and Agra following soon after, Priyanka Bose stands at a unique juncture — where homegrown independent cinema and globally acclaimed stories converge. Much like Nandini’s silence, her choices as an actor speak louder than words.