Bollywood actress Fatima Sana Shaikh, who is playing the wrestling champion Geeta Phogat in Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal, says she now loves the sport and understands it better after she went through intense training to shoot the film.
“I have always been a movie buff and had no interest in any games and sports. I do not even watch cricket, which is one of the favourite games of most of my friends. However, I have become a wrestling fan after Dangal. As an audience, I watch the game sitting at the edge of the seat and scream as if I am in it.”
The actress went through eight months of training as part of her preparation to play the character and said working with Khan helped her to understand the craft of acting better.
“I found it more challenging to act in a small scene, especially if it has no dialogue and if it is a close-up with only expressions. When you are doing a long scene, you have dialogue and interaction to narrate the character. But making sense out of facial expression and reacting is difficult. Having said that, I think such challenges are good for learning,” said Shaikh.
Asked about her favourite scene of the film, Shaikh said: “There is a scene where Babita celebrates for Geeta after she wins a match. I know as Fatima that those reactions and emotions were as genuine as it could be for Sanya [Sanya Malhotra plays Babita] because we share a strong emotional bonding. She is not only my co-actor, but a very close friend.”
Starting her career with the film Chachi 420 as the young girl Bharti, Shaikh has acted in television series and featured in small roles in films such as Tahaan, Bittoo Boss and Akaash Vani, before her big break in Dangal.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Dangal will release in the UAE on December 22.
