Raima Sen: Despite being a star kid, I wasn’t going to get a Sanjay Leela Bhansali debut – BigInterview – Times of India ►

Despite belonging to one of the most revered royal film families of the Indian film industry, Raima Sen comes across as demure, down-to-earth and sans any starry airs. She is the daughter of Moon Moon Sen and the granddaughter of legendary actress Suchitra Sen. Yet, she has managed to stand out and carve her own niche. Raima made her acting debut with ‘Godmother’ at the young age of 17 but Rituparno Ghosh’s critically acclaimed film, ‘Choker Bali’ was a turning point in her career. The actress also recently marked her Marathi debut with ‘Anya’.

In this week’s Big Interview with ETimes, Raima spills the beans on the pressures of being the third generation of actors in her family, her journey in the industry so far, her marriage plans and more. Read on…

You have always been known for being a part of content-driven films and content has taken centre stage in your career in the past two years. How much did the advent of OTT bring that change in your acting career?


OTT platforms were always around but it was during the pandemic that it received a boom because everybody flocked towards it. A lot of actors who weren’t working for many years, technicians and a lot others, who we had almost forgotten, were seen on this platform. The web series on these platforms gave everyone equal opportunities. The story here did not revolve around one actor. Each and every character is important and has a story to tell. None of the content was star-driven so no one felt left out. They are now looking for fresh talent and good actors. This has proved to be a boon for even people behind the camera. Because of the freedom it provides, people are able to tell their stories openly and truthfully. This is why the content now is becoming stronger.

There has been a surge of new and female-oriented content on OTT. Your take on that…


Absolutely! There are actresses like Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Huma Qureshi who are leading the baton. People are taking to it naturally. It is great for the women out there too.

Tell us something about your Marathi debut film, ‘Anya’. How did you come on board for this film?

‘Anya’ happened 2-3 years ago. Director Simmy Joseph narrated the story to me and I wanted to be a part of it because Atul Kulkarni was in it. It was a Hindi film which was dubbed in Marathi. I wanted to work with all these actors. The major part of the film was shot in Delhi and it was released this year.

What was your first impression of Atul Kulkarni like? Were you intimidated by him?

I was very intimidated by him. He was very quiet and sitting in one corner on the set. I have seen his films and he is great. I was very nervous to talk to him but he was very sweet to me. He told me there is nothing to be nervous about and helped me a lot all throughout the shooting. He is undoubtedly a fabulous actor and a very knowledgeable man. Not only him, my other co-stars Bhushan Pradhan, Tejashree Pradhan were all good to me. I met Bhushan a couple of times when I went back to Mumbai. The entire unit was very sweet and we have become friends. They had a concrete vision and knew what they were doing so it was a very nice experience shooting with them.

You are one of the most underrated actors we have in the film industry. Would you agree that your potential as an actor has not been utilized to its fullest?


I believe that I did the best of what I got at the time. I have done Hindi, a lot of Bengali films and I also have a Tamil film releasing this year. I still have time and I plan to do a lot for myself in the coming years. If there is a time when I will realise my potential, I think it is now. I don’t regret anything. I did the best then and there are more good things coming up so I have no regrets.

How pressurizing is it to be the third generation of actors in your family? How do you deal with comparisons to your mother and grandmother?


Initially, when I joined the industry, people had a lot of expectations from me. I was Moon Moon Sen’s daughter and my sister Riya had joined the industry before me. Being a star kid, people had already expected a lot out of me, they had already judged me, criticised me. They expected me to be a know-it-all. I think it is very difficult for the star kids in the beginning. For a newcomer who is an outsider, there is no baggage. But when it is a star kid is doing his/her first film, people will judge them.

So it was tough for me initially. My grandmother Suchitra Sen has left a great legacy behind. I wasn’t going to get a Sanjay Leela Bhansali debut. Initially, it was difficult to break in. I think ‘Choker Bali’ was my turning point. Once I did that film, people started seeing me as Raima and not as Moon Moon Sen’s daughter or Riya’s sister. I have successfully created my niche here. I did Godmother and it was not an ideal launch so to say. After that, I did a few other art films. I did my share of screen tests and auditions. I was thrown out of films a couple of times. I have had my share of struggles and hardships. Now when I look back at them, I think they were all a blessing because I got to learn a lot from them. I appreciate the things that have happened to me in my career because it has just made me stronger. I never had any formal training as an actor but the practical experiences have taught me a lot. I have worked under some talented directors in my career.

Being born into a film family, did you always have an inclination towards acting or did you have other aspirations?


My mother joined the film industry after Riya and I were born. We have grown up watching our mother dress up and act in front of the camera. We used to go with her on her film sets. She would introduce us to her co-stars. We met Jackie Shroff, Akshay Kumar and so many actors as kids. For us it was all about the lights, the camera, the make up at that time. So subconsciously, we always wanted to be a part of this industry. It was only after I did my first film that I realised that it is not just about dress and make up, it was so much more than that.

I was 17 years old and in class 11 when I did my first film and it was a reality check for me. It was so difficult. However, after the film was released, it got a lot of awards and offers started pouring in for me. So I just went with the flow and embraced it.

Social Media has a much stronger presence today than at the time when you made your debut…


Earlier, during my grandmother’s times, the actors believed in not showing too much of themselves to the public. During my mother’s time, there was no social media but there were magazines and other stuff through which fans were connected to the stars. During my time, there was very limited social media. Now it is quite different. It is like if you are not on social media, you are missing out. Your fans will have no updates about you. The platform also helps us to put our message across so it is a two way thing. Now, visibility has become very important. You have got to be active on social media, you have got to attend parties and social events, have PRs. All these were not there during my initial days but you have to adapt and move with the time.

Celebrities are often the soft targets for trolls, especially actresses. How do you deal with them?


Initially, I used to get very hurt. I used to wonder why people were judging me. They know nothing about what I am wearing and why, but they would still make it a point to pass comments on it. I feel this society will be a better place if people just stop judging other people without knowing anything about them.

Although it initially hurt me, I knew how to deal with them because I have grown up seeing all this. I have grown up reading gossip about my mother in the magazines. My father always kept us grounded and taught us never to get affected by all this. As a child I never got affected by this and even now I try to maintain the same. I don’t want to upset my mental health, so I ignore the trolls. I am all up for constructive criticism about my performances in films but I will not take it if you are unnecessarily judging me.

Past two years have also brought the subject of mental health into the spotlight. What are your thoughts on the mental pressures that actors go through?


The pressure that actors face has always been there but it is now that people have started talking about it. These issues existed back then too, but most of them were considered taboo. Now, it has become normal and people openly talk about it. At the end of the day, it is you who can really help yourself. No therapist can help you if you will not take initiative to heal yourself. Meditate, do yoga or whatever works for you. Go out and seek help if you have to. You cannot be happy and content every time. Everyone has their journey and their struggles. We just have to take control and help ourselves when we need it. It is up to us.

You have always kept yourself away from the rat race in the industry with regard to box office collections…


I have and all this is changing now. People will only go out and watch a good movie in the theatre. We have OTT now. We can watch content from across the globe anytime we want according to our mood. For you to pull the audience to the theatres, you will need to come up with something great. No stars will be able to do that if the content is not good. So the rat race we used to talk about is all changing now.

You are one of the fittest actresses we have in the industry. How is ‘being fit’ important, especially during these times?


In the lockdown I realised one thing, life is unpredictable. When it came to working out, we always found an escape. But during the lockdown, there was no place to escape. We were all stuck inside the house. I realised health is so important. I saw my father in the hospital. My whole family contracted COVID but I was the only one, touchwood, who did not get infected. The time showed how fragile our lives are. And health does not mean just losing weight. If you ask me to become size zero, I will not because I am concerned about my health.

You come from a family where everyone has a distinct sense of style… who is your go-to fashion advice person?


My grandmother was known for her style in the Bengali industry and then my mother is also a glamorous person. She has got her own style. My father (Bharat Dev Varma) comes from a royal family. His mother was Gayatri Devi’s sister. So we have grown up watching these women embrace their distinct style.

As far as I am concerned, I am someone who will choose comfort over style any day. My mother always keeps telling me that she wants to redo my wardrobe.

Your fans are often curious to know about your love life and marriage plans. How would you describe your ideal man?


I am an independent working woman. I don’t know why people keep asking me when I will get married. I know what I want in the next five years in my career because it is a goal. But marriage is not an end goal for me. It is not like I will get settled down after I get married. I am very comfortable in my space right now. But yes, if not marriage then I would like to have a companion at some point in my life. Someone you can come home to and talk to about your whole day. But that person does not necessarily have to be a man, he/she could be a friend or a mother figure too. He/she should be someone I can confide in. Someone who has my back always. That would mean to me more than anything else.

What does the second half of 2022 have in store for Raima Sen?


I have a film titled, ‘Aliya Basu Gayab Hai’ with Vinay Pathak. I am also a part of a Tamil film with Vijay Anthony. I have also done a Bengali web show. I am reading a few scripts. I am waiting to take up something that will really excite me.