Pia Bajpiee: I am not comfortable with unnecessary skin show and intimate scenes – Exclusive – Times of India

Pia Bajpiee has successfully carved a niche for herself with her choices of films and performances not only in Bollywood but also in the South film industry. The actress is currently super excited for her upcoming film, ‘Lost’ with Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury which is all set to premiere on an OTT platform from February 16 onwards. In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Pia opened up about the film, being an outsider, having reservations about doing intimate scenes and more. Excerpts…
After doing the rounds at some prestigious film festivals, ‘Lost’ is finally all set to release. How does it feel?
Yes, ‘Lost’ has got a lot of appreciation and standing ovations at film festivals. We were waiting for the film to release for a long time now and it is finally getting released. We are all very excited. The trailer also has got a great response so I am really looking forward to it.

Tell us something about your character and what really attracted you to it?
I feel that everyone can relate to my character Ankita, irrespective of gender. We all have Ankita inside of us. And if anybody is denying then they are definitely lying. As an actor, I am sure this character will give me great visibility. I am just hoping for the best.
How was it working with Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury?
It is very easy to work with Aniruddha sir. He is very easy-going. He is very respectful of other people’s suggestions. He is understanding. As an actor, you have all the freedom on the sets. He is not somebody who just wants you to follow him. Working with him has been on my wishlist for a long time. So I am very grateful.

You come from a non-film background. When and how did you get bitten by the filmy bug?
I was in my 11th or 12th class when I started leaning towards this. I used to participate in my school’s cultural activities. I used to get a lot of appreciation for my performance and I used to love all that attention. It was since then that I wanted to give acting a try.

How did your parents react when you first told them about your acting aspirations?
When I told my parents for the first time, they were quite shocked. They wondered where this thought came into my mind. They were scared of the thought that I wanted to go out of the comfort of my small town to the city of dreams Mumbai for this.

Tell us about your initial days in the industry.
My initial days were really tough as I was all alone. For me, the challenge was to survive. I started as a dubbing artist first. I went on to do print and TV ads. Later the film happened. When I struggled, it was not only to get work but to actually get food everyday.

You have done a significant amount of work down south. The south films have been ruling the box office of late. According to you, where is Bollywood falling short?
I am very happy that the south films are doing very well. However, I don’t think Bollywood is far behind. We are lacking in the content part a bit. If we work on our stories a little then we would be back on track. Ajay Devgn starrer ‘Drishyam 2’ is a good example of the same. Also, I feel like the south industry experiments a lot with their content and it works for them. Bollywood does it too but so much.

In one of your interviews, you said you don’t want to be part of something vulgar and tasteless…
Yes, I am not okay with unnecessary skin shows and intimate scenes. There are a lot of web shows today that have unnecessary sex scenes so I try to keep away from them. This is something I am not comfortable with. I want to be a part of projects that my family can sit and watch. I don’t want to call my family and tell them not to watch something because I know they would be uncomfortable too. I am ready to do it if it is extremely required for my character and the story to go forward. If I am convinced as an actor, I would do it.

Have you ever felt that being an outsider has been a roadblock in your career?
Being an outsider has never blocked my road in any way. However, it takes a lot of time to finally get to the right place at the right time for the outsiders. I feel people who come from a non-filmy background already know that they will have to struggle a lot. They are aware that you cannot survive in this industry if you don’t give your best. They are filled with fire and passion and if they use it in the right manner, nothing can stop them from going places. I take it as a blessing that I am not from this industry. I have always given my 100 percent in everything I do and I will keep doing the same.

From all the actors you have shared screen space with, who has been an absolute treat to work with?
I have shared a great equation with all the actors I have worked with so far. However, if I have to name one, it would be Ajith sir. I did a film with him down south. The film was a remake of ‘Main Hoon Na’. He played the role of Shah Rukh Khan and I played the role of Amrita Rao. There is absolutely no one like him.

You command a huge fan following on social media. How do you deal with negativity and trolls?
I believe the best way to tackle trolls is to ignore them. If you keep dealing with them, they will keep troubling you. I have never had people trolling me so far. However, even if I come across some people like that, I completely ignore them. I don’t think they deserve any kind of attention.

What’s next?
After ‘Lost’, ‘Laal Rang 2’ is in the pipeline. We will be going on floors soon.