After her power packed performance in ‘Pingar’, Urmila Matondkar is back to show her acting genius in forthcoming film ‘Banaras’ where she plays a role of hermit.

Do you play the role of a hermit in this film?

Yes, that’s partly true. I play a physics student studying at the Banaras Hindu University who undergoes some turmoil in her life and meets, in the course of time, various people who inspire her to lead the life of a recluse. It was certainly challenging for me as an actor because I have never played such roles and I don’t think any other Indian woman has played such shades of character in our film industry. But I would like to clearly state that this film is not a period drama and it is truly contemporary in its presentation and content. My role hardly involves any melodrama. I have realised that melodrama is considered to be ‘good’ acting in our country, but I think playing a subtle character is more difficult.

How would people react to see you as Sanyasin after your glamorous image in item numbers like 'Chamma chamma' and 'Kambaqt ishq'?

I am an actor, and accepting any kind role is my forte. I have no qualms about playing an unusual role, if I am sure that I can carry it off capably. Banaras is an exciting subject. These are the kind of films that help you grow as an actor; however, not all my films have helped me grow. Some films even help you understand yourself better. It was easy for me to play the part of a college girl early in the film, but when the film takes a 17-year leap it became difficult for me to portray the maturity the character demanded. But I think my director managed to extract the performance from me.

Is it true that in Banaras you play the character of a real-life spiritual figure head?

I don’t know. I think you’ll have to ask my writer and producer L K Singh, who will be able to give you the details. I have also heard that the character resembles some spiritual head but I guess the sketch was not a conscious copy of any single person.

You apparently did a lot of research before beginning the film.

Yes I did. My director Pankaj Parashar was extremely confident about what he wanted from me. He had shot a documentary in Banaras before, so he was sure of his shots and dialogue. I read a lot of research materials and books like ‘An Autobiography Of A Yogi’. Learning about the unknown is like entering a dark room not knowing what is within. Even during the dubbing of the film I had to be very conscious about modulating my voice.

We've heard that you've shot in little-known locations in Banaras. How did you manage to do that?

You will love the locations and the cinematography; for a change we are not promoting India as a sad country. This man (L K Singh) has some clout! (Laughs) He is basically from Banaras so he knew the people concerned. We have shot the film in locations that have never been explored in Indian cinema before. We’ve shot in Kabir’s tomb, the Krishnamurthy Institute and also inside the Vishwanath temples. We performed Ganga Aarti, Shiv Puja and other rituals there. But the best part about the shoot was to see the original Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas. Every member of the unit entered the temple and touched the book to their forehead as a gesture of respect. Having said that, this film is not about Hinduism, it’s not about any particular god, but it is about ‘faith’, which is the biggest religion.

Dimple Kapadia recently said she would have loved to play your role in this film had she been younger.

She would have done a much better job with the character. I am sure that every actor would dream of acting in a film like this, there are several layers to the character and the fun lies in getting through each layer.

You haven't said anything about your co-actor Ashmit Patel.

You didn’t ask me about him. (Laughs) It was wonderful working with Ashmit, but again we have very few scenes together. It is not a conventional love story where the hero and the heroine romance in every second scene. He has a powerful role. There are other character artists who have done brilliant work. In fact if you are judging the film by the three-second teaser you are making a mistake. The film is commercial, but it’s high on content.

You play an older woman in this film for the first time. Don't you think it may tamper your image as a commercial actress?

You make it sound like I am playing a doddering old woman in this film. I play a mature woman; I think age makes you look graceful. It is very easy to make a woman look older with grey streaks but maturity comes from within. I took four takes for the opening scene in which I am giving pravachan (discourse) to devotees. I am basically a ‘one-take-okay’ person, because I do my homework and don’t walk onto the sets as if I am walking into a park. I had to rattle off chaste Hindi dialogue. And you can’t just repeat dialogues without understanding the meaning of the lines, so I rehearsed them before giving my shots.

You have also completed Onir's next film Bas Ek Pal. Tell us about it.

I freaked out when I saw Onir’s My Brother Nikhil; it is such a brilliant film. Onir just explained the film’s five crucial characters to me before giving me a bound script. I play the role of a civil engineer. I can’t say much about the film because it’s under post production.

While most female actors in our industry are treated as mere props, how do you manage to bag such powerful, women-centric films?

It’s actually a double-edged sword. You benefit and you also lose in the game. If the film works then you share the credit, but if the film flops then the onus is on your shoulder. But I am the kind of person who has never lived in fear and I think we should live our life the way we want to. You should not allow anyone or anything, except your conscious, to dictate the terms in your life. I am not the kind of actor who is worried about the number of magazine covers I’ve bagged. I know that I can survive on my own merit, with or without covers.

You are working in Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay. So when is the film beginning?

You are asking the wrong person. I am excited about the role although it’s just an item number. I admire Helen as an actress. I think she is a fantastic dancer. Sholay is a film we all have grown up watching, so even if I play a cameo, it’s an honour for me.

Are you planning to get married?
Why? I am doing well, and I am still getting offers.