She may be playing a multi dimensional character in her debut Bollywood outing Game but in real life, Sarah Jane Dias is as simple as it gets. A Mumbai girl who is happy with small pleasures offered to her in life, Sarah found herself enacting a complex role in Game, something which was quite alien to her and also equally challenging since she had to isolate herself from her real self when the camera started rolling. Now as she sees herself on the big screen with her film being released, Sarah shares her thoughts with Joginder Tuteja and insists that life couldn't have been any better for her.
A central protagonist's role in a suspense thriller with an out and out A grade setup - you couldn't have asked for a better start, right Sarah?
Yeah, definitely not (smiles). I remember how I felt when I first went to Excel office for an audition. There I was sitting at the waiting area, seeing posters of films like Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya and Don all around me and wondering that I too could be featuring on these walls soon. And then now as I am talking about the film, it is indeed a dream come true. With actors like Abhishek, Kangna, Boman and others all around me, my character binding them all together is one big high for sure.
Ever pinched yourself in the year gone by that this was indeed the truth and not really a dream world?
(Laughs) In fact pichle poore saal mein aisa nahi laga ki kya yeh sach nahi hai. I knew that I had signed a big film and while I was shooting for the film all across the world, I didn't have that kind of available time to sit down and actually reflect at what I was going through. In fact only when we came back after the entire shoot and I was called to the viewing room to have a look at the first promo did I realise that I was in for something big.
What was your first thought then?
Honestly, I was speechless. I am not new to sets and shooting though; I have had a good stint on TV as a VJ. But then big screen is something altogether different. You get such an incredible sense of being humbled. This is when I said to myself that this was a reality check after all so no more fooling around from this point on.
I am not new to sets and shooting; I have had a good stint on TV as a VJ Well, I guess you are being modest. Abhinay says that even though this was your first film, you were dead serious about your job and weren't quite fooling around. In fact he also goes on to say that as Maya, your role was the toughest of all as you had different chapters in your life that drove the drama forward.
Did he really say that? Then well, I am indeed flattered that he is happy. Yes, Maya was very important for the film since she had to go through so much evil at such a young age. She tries to escape but then gets trapped in bigger problems. She tries to put a happy front, falls in love with the character played by Abhishek but it isn't quite a bed of roses for her.
For your first film, this must have been emotionally draining, right?
Abhinay was the Captain of the ship and he was someone who kept my sanity intact during the shoot. He clearly guided me around what to watch or listen in order to understand this character better. He was someone who allowed me to grow as an actor. He wasn't too strict either and allowed me to explore things myself. He is such a wonderful human being and I am fortunate to have found him as my first director. I spent a lot of time with him and his family that kept me at ease during the film's shoot.
Abhinay was the Captain of the ship and he was someone who kept my sanity intact during the shoot As Maya, did you have to showcase different facets of your personality in the diverse situations that you had to go through?
In fact there is nothing about my real self that I could get into the character of Maya. Other than the part where she falls in love (and that's because everybody does at some point in her life), I have not been through that Maya went through. This was good for me as it allowed me to portray different emotions in one single film. Also, I could be a different person in each of my episodes. So whether it was my hair, makeup or wardrobe, everything had to be changed. It was all very essential that my attitude also changes at different points in the film. Every time I looked into the mirror, each of my avatars had to be different.
And how about your own self Sarah? Not much is known about you as a real life person after all.
(Takes a pauses) Well, I am a thinker. Also, I am very passionate about what I do. I am quite grounded and that's courtesy my parents who bring me down even if I try to fly high (laughs). I love to cook and act, I love travelling and I love to sing. Also, I even like doing some very simple things in life like sitting at my window and watch the sun going down while sipping my coffee. Yup, so that's me, a simple girl called Sarah.
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