Raveena Tandon: "Netflix is a great platform to be on"

Actors Raveena Tandon (left) and Parambrata Chatterjee in 'Aranyak'.

Raveena Tandon made her debut with Patthar Ke Phool. The 1991 film was directed by Anant Balani, co-starred Salman Khan and was produced by G.P. Sippy. She got her first real success with the comedy Andaz Apna Apna (1994).

Over time, Tandon became quite the sex symbol with her commercial movies, many with co-stars Akshay Kumar and Govinda, and her hit songs such as Akhiyon se goli maare from Dulhe Raja and Tip tip barsa paani and Tu cheez badi hai mast, mast, both from Mohra.

The 1999 crime drama Shool, in which she played Inspector Samar Pratap Singh’s wife Manjari, marked a turning point in her career. Critically acclaimed films such as Aks, Daman (for which she won a National Film Award for best actress) and Satta followed.

Tandon is now making her streaming debut in a web series produced by Rohan Sippy. In the Netflix series Aranyak, she plays Kasturi Dogra, a policewoman negotiating workplace politics, personal demands and a pressing investigation into a murder, which sends shock waves through a sleepy hill town.

Excerpts from an interview in which Tandon spoke about what drives her acting choices:

What was the appeal of ‘Aranyak’?

Besides the character, what also got me excited was the entire set-up of the show. I am working with Sippy Films again, after 30 years, and with seasoned actors like Ashutosh Rana, Parambrata Chatterjee, Meghna Malik and the ensemble cast of newcomers, especially the children who are so fresh. Collaborating with director Vinay Waikul and the entire set was a happy and exciting experience.

What was it like working in your first series?

It’s a great medium, and Netflix is a great platform to be on. I had fun and I am enjoying the varied roles I am being offered. Working in OTT has been a learning experience. Because you have space and time, it gives so much artistic freedom to the filmmaker and to the actors to express, to build their characters and to put in nuances. I remember reviews of my movies, where critics would write that her role was great but her character could have been fleshed out more. There is only so much you can do in two to two and a half hours, whereas in a series you have liberty to build backstories, characteristics and eccentricities of characters. It’s a beautiful form of storytelling.

Would you say that ‘Shool’ was the turning point after which you were taken more seriously as an actor?

Most definitely, and then came Daman. These films were a result of a conscious effort to change the kind of roles I was taking on and to take on varied characters, from a middle-class housewife in Shool to Neeta in Aks, a performance for which I won all the (best supporting actress) awards that year. I wanted to push myself as an actor because there was a lot more I wanted to do.

It was a time of evolution for me as I got out of my comfort zone, otherwise I could have easily played myself in every film.

From your filmography, which roles would you say are most underrated?

Satta (2003), in which I played Anuradha, is a film that I think was relevant then and even now.

Daman (2001), in which I played Durga, came out 20 years ago, when domestic violence and marital rape were hardly spoken of. It was a path-breaking film and did not get the recognition it deserved.

Maatr (2017), in which I played Vidya, was a very important film.

What’s common in all these films is that the subjects remain relevant even today. Unfortunately the situation has not changed much, but we need to keep voicing our opinions.

‘Aranyak’ is now streaming on Netflix