In an exclusive Lehren Retro interview, Varsha Usgaonkar shares insights on working in Hindi and Marathi films, discussing her major breakthrough in 'Gammat Jammat.' Watch this throwback interview on Lehren Retro.
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00:00 Heroine is more of a showpiece in Hindi films.
00:04 I don't see any difference in working conditions or acting.
00:07 The only difference is in the treatment.
00:10 My affairs are concerned. I don't think I have an affair with anyone.
00:14 How are you in films?
00:21 You mean in Marathi films or Hindi films?
00:24 Marathi.
00:26 Actually, my entry in Marathi films was through theatre.
00:34 I used to do Marathi theatre.
00:37 When I was doing a drama, Sachin saw me in a play.
00:45 He introduced me to his first film, Gambha Chambat.
00:49 It was my first film and it was a great break for me.
00:55 It was totally a heroine-oriented film.
00:58 A different type of a heroine.
01:00 In Marathi, there were social dramas like family dramas.
01:08 There was always a home-like heroine.
01:11 A different type of heroine was introduced in Marathi.
01:16 That's how I entered Marathi films.
01:19 I didn't look back.
01:21 I was very successful in Marathi films.
01:25 I did a lot of Marathi films.
01:28 Hindi films?
01:30 When I was doing Marathi films, Mahabharat serial had started.
01:37 It had been a year since it started.
01:40 I never tried for Mahabharat on my own.
01:43 Actually, my dad wished me to come to Mahabharat.
01:48 But it never happened.
01:51 Once, we went to see the Mahabharat shooting.
01:55 Some of our guests had come to our house.
01:58 I went there with my family to see the shooting.
02:02 Coincidentally, Abhimanyu's younger brother was shooting there.
02:10 After a few days, Abhimanyu grows up and gets married to Uttara.
02:15 That was the scene.
02:18 Gufi Pantel was a production designer.
02:22 He asked me if I was interested in playing Uttara's role.
02:27 I was taken aback. I had not expected that.
02:31 My parents were there.
02:34 They said yes.
02:36 They wished me to play Uttara.
02:39 Without screen test, they finalized my role.
02:45 I was selected for Mahabharat.
02:47 My entry was with dance.
02:52 Gopiji choreographed it.
02:55 It was Kathak style dance.
02:57 I got publicity all over India.
03:02 Suddenly, I was noticed by Hindi film industry.
03:05 I had never tried to get into Hindi films.
03:09 I had wished to get into Hindi films.
03:13 But I got into Hindi films through Mahabharat.
03:19 My first Hindi film was Doodh Ka Karz.
03:22 Mr. Salim Akhtar and Mr. Ashok Gaikwad signed me for Doodh Ka Karz.
03:29 It was opposite to Jackie Shroff.
03:32 What is the difference between Marathi and Hindi films?
03:37 I don't see any difference in working conditions or acting.
03:42 The difference is in treatment.
03:44 Marathi films are mostly comedies.
03:47 Plots are strong.
03:50 There is no action.
03:52 There is no violence.
03:54 There is no glamour.
03:57 Heroine is more of a showpiece in Hindi films.
04:02 Most of the Hindi films.
04:04 Not all Hindi films are like this.
04:07 There is a difference in job satisfaction in Marathi films.
04:12 Most of the films I have done in Marathi,
04:15 Heroine had a lot of scope.
04:18 This has comparatively less scope.
04:21 But I am optimistic.
04:23 I know when I will prove myself in Hindi film industry.
04:26 I will get roles in which I will have scope.
04:30 This is the difference.
04:32 Second is glamour.
04:34 Heroine should be glamorous looking.
04:37 Most of the Hindi films.
04:39 Because she has to look good.
04:41 She has to dress well.
04:43 Her makeup should be good.
04:45 Her hairstyle should be good.
04:47 She should look good in Marathi films of course.
04:51 But you don't have to focus on these things.
04:56 The treatment of the director in Marathi and Hindi films.
05:00 Is of a different style.
05:02 This difference is for the story.
05:06 Because basically stories are action oriented.
05:09 So naturally there is a difference.
05:12 Secondly, there is a cultural difference.
05:16 Like dresses.
05:18 In Hindi films, dresses are more glamorized.
05:22 They are of all types.
05:24 And basically dresses are north oriented.
05:28 Whereas in Marathi films,
05:31 they are more cultural.
05:33 Traditional.
05:35 It is important to have a little.
05:37 Are you satisfied with Hindi films?
05:40 I am not totally dissatisfied.
05:44 I have many films.
05:46 I am doing the honeymoon of Surendra Mohan.
05:49 It will be released in a month or two.
05:52 Then I am doing the gold chain of Shiv Kumar.
05:56 Then I have a film called Ghar aaya mera pardesi.
05:59 It is a film by Ravindra Peepat.
06:01 So these films have given me a lot of job satisfaction.
06:05 Although it is not complete.
06:07 The honeymoon is more than half complete.
06:10 It will be released.
06:12 The gold chain is complete.
06:14 But I had a lot of scope in these films.
06:16 So I got a lot of job satisfaction in this.
06:20 What are your future plans?
06:22 My biggest ambition was to be in Hindi films.
06:28 So I have come now.
06:30 The beginning is good.
06:32 So let's see what happens in the future.
06:34 I am waiting for good roles, a good break.
06:36 And good directors.
06:38 Of course, I have worked with good directors.
06:41 I was very lucky.
06:43 I met directors like Mahesh ji.
06:46 I am working with Daddu Sippy.
06:49 He is opposite to Mithun ji.
06:51 Then there is Surendra ji.
06:54 Shiv Kumar.
06:56 So all these are good directors.
06:59 Then I would like to work with Rajkumar Santoshi.
07:02 Subhash Ghai.
07:04 So these are my ambitions.
07:06 These are my future plans.
07:08 In Hindi films, normally every actor is linked with the co-star.
07:13 You have been linked.
07:15 Where is this true?
07:17 I would say that it is personal attitude.
07:23 Sometimes there is truth in it.
07:25 Sometimes there is no truth in it.
07:28 And such link-ups can affect your personal life.
07:37 So I think that whatever the affair is,
07:40 journalists should also keep in mind
07:43 whether there is a base in it or not.
07:45 I don't think there is anything in publishing baseless stories.
07:50 I mean it is fair on their part.
07:53 So as far as my affairs are concerned,
07:56 I don't think I have an affair with anyone.
07:59 Nor do I want to get married so soon.
08:03 So this is a part of the game.
08:07 I see it this way.
08:10 How do you spend your days off?
08:14 Yes, this is a very good question.
08:17 Whenever I get a day off,
08:19 I feel like I should sleep the whole day.
08:23 But when I wake up,
08:26 I feel like I should go to a place where it is peaceful.
08:31 And I see only one place like that.
08:34 That is the beach.
08:37 And when I think of the beach,
08:42 I think of Goa.
08:44 Because Goa's beaches are very peaceful.
08:49 Because I have seen that there is always a lot of crowd on the beaches of Bombay.
08:54 There is always a crowd on the beaches of Bombay for 24 hours.
08:58 So I go to the beaches.
09:01 Sometimes I like to go to the beach alone.
09:04 I like to go like this,
09:06 lie down in the sea water,
09:08 close my eyes and lie down.
09:10 And do nothing.
09:12 I like this a lot.
09:14 Your image is very similar to Kimi.
09:18 Do you want to keep this image or do you want to open a different image?
09:23 Not at all.
09:25 I don't think I look like Kimi.
09:29 Maybe my eyes are similar to her eyes.
09:36 That's why people say I look like her.
09:41 Sometimes people say I look like Rajesh Shrik.
09:44 Sometimes they say I look like Sonam.
09:47 Sometimes I get confused as to who I look like.
09:51 But when I look at myself in the mirror,
09:55 I don't think I have any similarity with these actresses.
09:59 And even if I have a similar face,
10:01 my acting style is different.
10:03 So that makes me different.
10:05 So I think I am known as Varsha Uzgaonkar.
10:10 (Music)