Deepti Sati: Lal Jose’s new find

Malayalam filmmaker Lal Jose who has launched the career of many new actresses, including Kavya Madhavan, Samvritha Sunil and Anushree to name a few, once again trusts his judgement with a new face. Mumbai-based model Deepti Sati plays the lead in Nee-Na.

A trained Kathak and Bharatanatyam dancer, Sati won the Miss Kerala 2014 title and was also among the top ten finalists at the Femina Miss India 2014 contest. At the Femina contest, she walked off with two crowns: Femina Miss Iron Maiden title and Miss Talented title.

In an exclusive talk with tabloid!, Sati talked about her new beginning in films.

Role play

“My character, Neena, is central to the story. Neena works in an advertising agency as a creative director and is a bold girl who follows her heart. She is a tomboy and a very complex person.

For the role, I had to learn to drive a [Royal Enflied] Bullet motorbike, which is not easy. I practiced a couple of hours before the shot and did manage though. I am a non-smoker and a teetotaler, but for Neena I had to learn to light a cigarette like a pro. Besides, Malayalam is a new language for me, although my mum is a Malayali, I struggled in getting the pronunciation and accent right.”

Working with Lal Jose

“Lal sir is a Bollywood and Hollywood kind of director. When I asked him if I should prepare myself for the role with videos or films of other films, he told me to come with a blank mind.”

Euphoric moment of Nee-Na

“The response has been tremendous, more than our expectations. I sneaked into a theatre along with my mother and the team for a matinee show on the first day. I was unprepared for the round of applause and clapping that followed when Neena appeared on screen. It was a memorable moment.”

Up next

“Having got the appreciation of viewers, I am careful about the roles that I do next. There are offers from Tamil and Telugu industry but I don’t want to rush into signing any film.”