Jhalkari Bai was a woman soldier who played an important role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. She served in the women’s army of Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi. She eventually rose to a position of prominent advisor to the queen, Rani of Jhansi herself. At the height of the Siege of Jhansi, she disguised herself as the queen and fought on her behalf, on the front, allowing the queen to escape safely out of the fort. The role of this important woman will be played by actress Auroshikha Dey in the upcoming English language film The Warrior Queen of Jhansi. The Kolkata Mail correspondent Priyanka Dutta caught up with the actress in an exclusive chat about her role in the film. Excerpts…

How did you bag the role of Jhalkari Bai in the film?

Auroshikha Dey- I remember opening Mumbai Mirror one day and reading about the part of Jhalkari bai in Manikarnika. Yes, I was a bit disappointed for not getting the part. It is always a dream to play her. But to my surprise, after a month I got an audition call for the same part in our film. And so began my journey in ‘The Warrior Queen of Jhansi’.

Were you aware about the character that you played in the film? Or did you come to know about her when you said yes to the film?

Auroshikha Dey- I wasn’t aware of Jhalkari Bai until I played the part. So I had the privilege to go through a lot of research on her. And I was completely awestruck to learn about her and her contributions. Knowing her story and playing her glorious part has been a true honor.

How did you prepare yourself for the role?

Auroshikha Dey- Jhalkari Bai was a brave and a courageous woman. I had to make sure that my body language and my gait matched her personality. She was a fearless warrior and I had to ace myself in crafts of war like sword fighting, archery and horse riding. I am not a master in either of them and that’s why I went through vigorous training and I enjoyed every bit of it. To learn and master something that you never learnt makes it even more exciting. I did fail initially but I never gave up until I aced it.

Acting in a period drama requires great research. What kind of research did you do to fit the role?

Auroshikha Dey- We seldom celebrate women’s contribution in our struggle for independence. A thorough research was therefore needed to blend with the essence of the character. I studied about her background and how Rani Laxmibai got her to join the army. My research also took me to an article where a commemorative postage stamp was issued by the Department of posts in her honor. On meeting her, one of the Generals of the British forces is said to have said “If even one per cent of Indian women were like Jhalkari, the British would very soon have to leave India.”

What were the challenges you faced during the shooting of the film?

Auroshikha Dey- Shooting under the scorching sun in Rajasthan is not an easy fleet. The take needs to be perfect every time. I practiced my skills in sword fighting and archery every single day. And since I was novice in the art of it, I remember accidentally releasing the bow string and bruising my arm. But when you love what you do, you hardly notice anything happening to you. You become what you play. I was the unflinching, fearless Jhalkari Bai. Shooting in Quarzazate Morocco, home to the Atlas Studios was another adventure. It was chilly cold and I was doing my fighting scene in 2 degree Celsius without blinking. She was a force to reckon with. I guess I love what I do. So bring it on I say!!

How did you get in the world of acting?

Auroshikha Dey- The journey began with tapping my feet. It all started with dancing. It was during my graduation year in Mount Carmel College I got a taste of acting in the dramatic society and I haven’t left it since then. To immerse oneself into becoming someone else, experience their emotional curves and convey that to a set of total strangers-that is the most fulfilling experience.

What are your next projects?

Auroshikha Dey- I am very excited about my forthcoming work. My next feature film is with internationally and critically acclaimed, multi award winner director Gajendra Ahire. I am also working on a web series named ‘The Flesh’ produced by Siddharth Anand and directed by Danish Aslam. I keenly look forward to what the future holds.

What are your expectations from the film?

Auroshikha Dey- I am glad that we are making films celebrating woman freedom fighters. The more the merrier. I am excited about the release and very much looking forward to the audience reaction.

Wishing Auroshika all the best for her stint as Jhalkari Bai and her upcoming projects as well!!