Riya Sen is the youngest daughter of Actress MoonMoon Sen. She is best known for roles in the aforementioned films ‘Style’ and ‘Jhankaar Beats.’ In a recent exclusive chat session with The Indian Express. she expresses unlike her popular glamorous image, she personally loves to play characters which are on the lines of the saree-clad Rimjhim, a character from her latest web show Pati Patni Aur Woh. The show, which is currently streaming on MX Player, also stars Anant Vidhaat and Vinny Arora.
Pati Patni Aur Woh is a horror comedy revolving around a newly-wed couple that’s haunted by the ghost of the husband’s first wife. While Vinny plays a ghost, Riya is the second wife here. It is directed by Nisheeth Neerav Neelkhanth.
Here are some excerpts from the conversation:
Q. There’s a twist in the popular story of Pati Patni Aur Woh this time. What interested you to take this up?
There’s nothing intense about it. It’s lighthearted and quite funny. Our characters have a lot more to offer than what was at script level. There’s a subtle old school romance which you don’t see in movies today. I didn’t get to play such roles before because when I entered the industry I was still in school, I was too young to be an actress. I wasn’t ready then, but I’m ready now.
Q. Do you believe in ghosts?
I love ghosts. I’ve actually seen a couple of spirits in my life and almost every single night, till today, I try and watch a scary film. Even my sister and I watch only horror movies. But I must say, I never understood the horror comedy genre because I like extreme horror, until I did this actually.
Q. The web series gives a very movie kind of feel. Was it shot in a certain manner?
You’re right! The whole story is like a movie. Even when I read the script, I told the makers that it is like a film. I think Nisheeth visualised it like a movie. I don’t know how it became a web series.
Q. How is it shooting for a project which has ghosts onscreen which are portrayed by real actors? Is it difficult to ignore the said person while shooting because that’s how you are supposed to play the part…?
Vinny as a person is very difficult to ignore. She is a big chatterbox. We kept chatting during the shoot, so much so that our director got fed up. We had so much to say. We’ve become very good friends. I have a particular smile in the entire show, I think it came because Vinny was around all the time. Otherwise there’s no difficulty as such. The only challenge is to learn my lines.
Q. You play a deglam role here, which stands in contrast with your glamorous avatar elsewhere. How was the experience?
Rimjhim is more like me. I don’t know where this glamorous image and all came from. I don’t find myself glamorous or bold. There are people who are way more sexier. I enjoy wearing a saree more than a mini skirt and maybe that has come off as bad acting in some of my films, because I didn’t fit in there. When I won my Best Actress award, it was for Noukadubi, where I wore a saree. A lot of people appreciate me for Apna Sapna Money Money which was again similar. I think I fit into that bracket.
Q. You’ve been doing a lot of digital content lately. What’s interesting about web?
In web, women have more opportunities to portray different characters than just run-of-the-mill typecast role in a Hindi movie. In Kolkata, I’ve played a mix of different characters, but in Mumbai I think what worked was these big Bollywood movies which had a cut-to-cut formula to fit in. In web there are so many different characters to play because there’s no censorship, no taboo, you can show a story as it is. Also actors today are more comfortable in their sexuality, look, acting, talent etc. There’s no difference in the set of a web series and a movie. I enjoy web series more. Things are more fun. Everyone is getting a chance here and you are working with new exciting people all the time.
Q. Is there anything you’d still wish to do onscreen?
I always wanted to do a web series where I get to essay a negative character, or someone who’s a druggie, or a spoilt child. In Kolkata I’ve played characters which are anything but glamorous, so I’d love to bring that aspect of mine here too.
We bring you to the official trailer of Pati Patni Aur Wo. Check it out!