Vidhatri Bandi was last seen playing a rookie Malyalaee journalist in the Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah thriller `Jalsa`. She was widely praised for nailing the Malayalee accent and bringing authenticity to the role. For the upcoming John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat, she was once again approached to play a South Indian character. However, in the course of time, director Shivam Nair decided to make the character Punjabi.
`Surreal to not worry about body hair`
“I was approached for a South Indian role, but it was different from what I did in Jalsa,” shares Vidhatri while talking to Mid-Day. She adds, “After auditions and rehearsals, the makers changed the character to Punjabi. The entire shoot took place in Punjab, even though it is portrayed as Pakistan in the film.”
Vidhatri was nervous about playing the role, as she had never been approached to portray a North Indian character before—especially due to her distinct South Indian physical features. “Shivam sir was there to guide me throughout. He told me to adopt a less feminine walk and add some depth to my voice to make it sound more intimidating and firm.”
More importantly, what helped Vidhatri bring authenticity to her character was spending time in Punjab and observing the local women and how they carried themselves. The team shot for 35 days across Amritsar, Patiala, and Chandigarh. Vidhatri also shared some interesting observations about the women in the state, which she happily incorporated into her character. “The women there are authentic and free. They don’t have a problem with body hair. I incorporated that and did not shave or wax for two months. It felt so surreal to not worry about body hair for two months,” she said, adding that these small changes helped her feel “more in place” with her character.
Not a chest-thumping, jingoistic film
Vidhatri adds that The Diplomat is not your regular chest-thumping, jingoistic patriotic drama. The trailer also presents John in a different light within this genre. “It’s more about bringing a girl safely back to her country. The focus has primarily been on the narrative. It’s not an over-the-top, patriotic spectacle. It is diplomacy at its best—conversations, planning, strategy,” says the actress.
“Even our dialogues are very simple and to the point. They’re not overly cinematic or cringe-worthy. I feel that once it comes out, that might be the reason it stands out,” she notes.
The Diplomat will be released in theatres on March 14.
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