No One Killed Jessica is director Rajkumar Gupta's big-screen adaptation of the case of a young model's murder by a politician's son in the suburbs of New Delhi in 1999, and he's roped in two of Bollywood's biggest actresses as protagonists for this true-life political potboiler. Vidya Balan plays Sabrina Lall, the victim's sister fighting for justice, while Rani Mukherjee makes waves with her role as Meera, a firebrand TV journalist spouting multiple profanities in a single sentence.
Recently, the Bollywood beauties visited the Gulf News office for a quick tete-a-tete about their roles in the film.
"Sabrina Lall was someone who kept this case alive," Balan tells tabloid!. "And at some point she started interacting with the media so intensely, it came to her rescue. It was due to this that the nation came together in support of Sabrina and for the justice to Jessica."
Lall fought for 11 years to prove that her sister had been murdered. While the pub where the incident took place was full of people, no one seemed to have seen the crime take place. That's when Lall started to garner support for her case through the media.
Mukherjee, who says that her role has not been inspired by any one member of the media, added that on the whole the media played a "hugely positive role" in securing justice in the case.
Forthcoming
"The media has been hugely positive, hugely responsible and very forthcoming in this case for the basic reason that it created awareness amongst people that justice had been denied. A woman gets shot and no one stands up for her. All the witnesses turn hostile. It was a huge story in India and only with the involvement of the media it got its recognition. It was because of the media that the country's judicial system was shaken up and the case was re-opened. So by and large we understand that the media is very powerful and if they use the power of the pen correctly — to state facts — I think India can have a very bright future".
The media intervention in the case was centred around an SMS campaign. Keeping this in mind, do the actresses think social network sites, such as twitter and facebook, if they had been active at the time, would have helped in the process?
"I think you are right in asking me this," says Mukherjee. "At that time the SMS campaign played a very important role because the Justice for Jessica campaign that began was through an SMS. So yes, if twitter and facebook were there at the time, the campaign would have been stronger and justice would have been quicker".
Controversy
Recently, both of them have in the news for a spat over their role development in the film. Are controversies deliberately created to boost the film?
"You'll answer that no, Vidya?" prompts Mukherjee.
"None what so ever," Balan says vehemently. "It is a fact that at the time of the release any publicity proves to be good publicity. But I'm not going to contest or support what you are saying because I think we are done saying there's no truth to it. If you are talking about No One Killed Jessica and Rani and Vidya great! We need you to do that. We just want people to go to the theatres and watch the film," she adds, laughing.
"I think no kind of negativity can help a film succeed," Mukherjee adds. "So if people require two actors to be uncomfortable with each other, it really doesn't help the film. And even if two actors are claiming to be friends, that also will not help. I think what's more important is what the film is about. And what matters is that Vidya and I have worked well in the film. We could probably be enemies, we could be competitors, we could be friends but that's not really going to deter or encourage an audience to go and watch a film. I think what's important is that as actors we come together when the film is to release to tell people we've believed in the film. Whether we fight, whether we pretend to fight, whether we pretend to be friends — that's not really going to make any difference to the box office."
Mukherjee's recent films have been unable to set the box office coffers jingling, despite her much-hyped makeover in last year's Dil Bole Hadippa!. Why the long gap between her last and current release?
"My producers UTV had their plate full with numerous releases in 2010. And Jessica was slotted for release in January, which is also a happy coincidence because January 5 happens to be Jessica Lall's birthday and the film releases on January 6. This makes us feel she's giving us her blessings. We'd finished shooting by May and were expecting it to release this year [2010] but because of so many films coming out of the production house, they probably thought it best to release in January".
Unlike Mukherjee, Balan has seen a successful spell last year with back to back hits in Paa and Ishqiya. Does she expect to achieve a hattrick with Jessica?
"I think we've tried to make a good film. We've given it our best and the response to the promos has been phenomenal so I'm hoping it carries forward with the film."
Strong
Both being brilliant actresses, Mukherjee and Balan have played very strong female characters in their films. Do they feel they have to often play second fiddle to the male protagonist?
"I think it's important to say that nowadays we are no longer talking about ‘women-centric' roles or films," says Balan.
"They are simply films about people. It's nice if you strike a balance with the male and female roles. But there some interesting cases like this one where the protagonists happen to be women. I think I don't agree with the term ‘women centric' either for it reminds me of a dharna [protest] kind of scenario which we are not attempting to do here. This is an entertaining, gripping film and that's what it should be seen for."
While Mukherjee has had a longer run in Bollywood, Balan is catching up with her in the shorter time she's been there. If they could, what would they take from each other's experiences?
"I'm happy with the way things are going but I admire Rani's body of work and I admire her as an actor. And I'm hoping she continues to inspire as she has so far," says Balan.
"I think as actors we go through our cycle of learning and experiencing with each film and I hope Vidya also does the same and she has so far. I think we are both strong individuals and nothing can really bog us down. Especially with me, if someone knocks me down I get up with a lot more energy and courage to knock the other person down. So I think it's great for me that I'm going through a low and with God's grace, I'm here in a film and I hope the audience will like me in this part," says Mukherjee.
Do you do crosswords?
Rani Mukherjee: "Vidya does it."
Vidya Balan: "I lack the intelligence or patience to do crosswords."
Do you read horoscopes?
Both: "Don't read horoscopes!"
Do you like to read about yourself in the newspapers?
Vidya Balan: "I don't really read newspapers or magazines. I will browse through something if I'm told it's interesting."
Rani Mukherjee: "I read the newspapers religiously every morning. But only to see when I'm getting married. The date changes every day. Fortunately, however, the person I'm supposedly getting married to has been a constant for some time now." Mukherjee was recently in the news regarding her upcoming marriage to director-producer Aditya Chopra.
I mostly wear Sabyasachi: Vidya balan
Vidya Balan says it depends on the occasion what she chooses to wear. "Whether it's the premiere of one of my films or an award function or if I'm just a guest at an event. I mostly wear Sabyasachi. I think he makes the most stunning Indian clothes in stunning colours, silhouettes and fabric".
Mukherjee says: "I like to experiment with different clothes just to see how they look on me. When you are in the best of shapes, you like to experiment with different designers and cuts. If we're talking of Indian designers, Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra are my favourites because of the kind of working relationship I've had with them over the years. They know exactly what I'm comfortable in. Another designer I love to wear is Anuradha Vakil who does stunning embroidery work".
