Antakshari is a very open ended kind of a film for the audience: Ishita Singh
– By Farhad Dalal
With a stellar debut with the Malayalam film Antakshari, Ishita Singh has begun on a positive note. In an Exclusive Interview with Farhad Dalal from Popcorn Reviewss she talks about the reception of her film Antakshari, her experience of working on it, her new Malayalam film and the year 2022 ahead.
1. How has the response been to your debut outing Antakshari and your character Nayana?
The response has been pretty positive. People have accepted my character and our film with open arms. I have received tons of congratulatory messages, sharing their feedback, overall thoughts on the film and on mycharacter Nayana. I am loving all of it. My parents too were very happy seeing me onscreen and upbeat about my performance too.
2. Since some of the subplots haven't quite ended in the film, could you give us a glimpse of how your character will meet the main storyline?
Yes, I get that people have been a little confused about my character but if you notice, there is no start, no end, no introduction, and no particular definition. It’s a very open-ended kind of a film for the audience. After all, the film is Antakshari.
My character has gone through a lot of trauma. And hence she barely speaks. She is silent to the point people think she is dumb. Whoever she likes, she attacks. That’s also very subconscious for her as her thought process majorly is influenced by her childhood.
3.How was your overall experience on the sets of Antakshari?
I love to be in front of the camera, I adore being on sets. I respect every project that I am a part of. And when you work with a team where they share the same love, energy, and momentum, everything just feels to be wonderful. I am blessed and very grateful to be working in a team where every single person from the director to the spot boy is incredibly passionate. That’s rare and beautiful. I would like to thank every single person as I had an amazing time and beautiful memories from Antakshari. I keep looking for opportunities to go back and doing great films in the Malayalam industry.
4. When your contemporaries are opting for a grand Bollywood release, what was the reason behind opting for a debut in a Malayalam film?
I believe as an actor, my mind always dreams of doing great films with amazing and passionate teams which is irrespective of language, Industry, and location. I am open to doing new things and I always love to be in front of the camera. So language has never been an issue!
5. Would you be open to doing films in other languages as well or even a step further venturing into other technical aspects like Direction?
Yes, I am already doing films in other languages. I just wrapped up shooting for a Kannada film Grey Games, in January this year. I have also debuted in the Telugu industry with a beautiful song. Am also very keen to work in the Bengali and Tamil industries. Learning new languages, and exploring different cultures, and traditions is truly amazing. Also, the style of filmmaking varies across regions which I think brings lots of colors and maturity to you as an artist.
I am very fascinated by the directors. I have done a few tv commercials in Mumbai, and I have worked with few greatest directors and female directors as well. This whole experience has left me with a dream to be able to direct something in the future.
I love conversations about filmmaking and I can talk about it all day and night. My quest has always been to associate, meet, and interact with every department be it sound, music, production, art, direction, and understand the whole process as much as I can.
So, it would be a soul-enriching for me to step into direction at a later stage in life.
6. You are already shooting for your next Malayalam film Paradise Circus. Anything that you would like to share about the film?
Yes, it’s based on the circus theme. We are working in a real location with professional 120 circus artists which makes it so exciting. There are so many new things for me to try, explore and learn. I am a trained contemporary dancer. And with my background in movement, this whole film is truly special. A circus is very challenging to perform. Working with my directors, co-actor shine and the entire Crew has been very beautiful so far and I only hope this beauty reflects in the film.
7. After a great start in Antakshari and another film Paradise Circus on the way, how is the rest of 2022 looking for you?
Rest of the 2022 is pretty exciting. I am loving my journey so far. Every day I wake up, it’s never the same. There is so much to do, and so little time. I am looking forward to being a part of great films, and projects which help me evolve as a person, artist, and a better actor every day.
Cheers!!
