Sulagna Panigrahi is an actress in the Indian TV and Film Industry. She is all set to make her comeback on television after a gap of ten years. The actress will be playing one of the leads in a period drama titled
Vidrohi which launches on Star Plus.
Tell us something about your character in the show ‘Vidrohi’?
I am playing the character of ‘Radhamani’ on the show who was Freedom Fighter Jagbandhu’s wife. She is extremely calm, sweet, and caring yet strong and ambitious. Radhamani is extremely supportive of her husband and would help him achieve his goals through and through. It’s a beautiful marriage based on immense love and trust. They are both extremely proud of each other. Nothing can tear them apart. They’ve seen life together, the highs and lows of life. She is tremendously level-headed and takes care of her household responsibilities with uttermost efficiency in addition to being quite aware of the movement going on against the British and very much wanting to be a part of it. She motivates and inspires everybody around her. She is a beautiful character as far as I am concerned. There is a very thin line to maintain while playing such a character but she makes it so easy to play. The right word for Radhamani is dignity. She is very dignified and just a class apart.
Tell us about your look/costumes for this show?
The look is very classy. It is extremely elegant as it is a tale from just the 18th century which is in history but not too far back in history. The jewellery is pretty minimal. The sarees are quite classy as well. They are soft and sheer in nature. The grace that a soldier’s wife carries, I have actually grabbed from my mom given my dad was an army man. The way she would dress up and carry herself in a saree at parties and various other social events is what I have kept in mind when it comes to my character’s looks. Also, as the show is based in the 18th century, the hairstyle is quite authentic to its time but all in all, I have taken most of the inspiration from my mother to play this character in terms of looks.
How do you feel working with Star Plus and on their new show Vidrohi?
I am making a comeback to television after quite a while now and the last show I was a part of was also with Star Plus so this is like homecoming if anything. Star has been consistent for such a long span of time and always blesses us with the best of shows and shows that are so different from your usual genre of shows. They are forever striving for perfection and always proffer something fresh and new for their audiences. Given those facts, it feels absolutely great to be a part of Star again and to be part of a show like ‘Vidrohi’ that is going to be aired on Star Plus.
What is in store for the audience from the show?
The show is about ‘Baxi Jagbandhu’ and it was about his fight against the British for his country/province to gain independence. In fact, the lesser-known fact is that it was the first-ever revolt against the British in the country which is one aspect the show is quite obviously looking to highlight. Also, the show is based on Odisha which is a state most people know nothing about as it has not been mentioned in many films or shows on a national level. Therefore, as I mentioned before, the show is based on Odisha makes me quite proud as it gives the audiences a taste of the state which everyone will love and I can vouch for that fact.
As we all know, Odisha is India’s best kept secret and it’s high time this secret comes out. People will be made one with Odisha’s traditions and cultures and I absolutely cannot wait for it. The show is mainly about the dynamics between the three characters of Kalyani, Radhamani, and Jagbandhu and how they handle the complexities of their relationship and I believe that to the audiences it will be very intriguing and interesting. The viewers are bound to fall in love with these characters. In fact, not just these three, but all the characters on the show are there for a reason with each having their own beautiful track and are highly contributing to the story and I must add, it’s an amazing ensemble cast so the audiences will definitely love the show and I am truly hoping for the best.
Have you taken any particular inspiration for your character? If yes, then tell us why and how it has helped you portray your character.
I think I have answered this question previously while answering another one. The character of Radhamani, who is a Senapati’s wife, is quite similar to my mother as my father was in the army. I sort of modelled Radhamani’s character on my mother given that she is an army officer’s wife. The way my mother carries herself, her mannerisms, and her elegance were something I hugely took inspiration from. My mother is very soft and delicate but yet strong. I have tried to imbibe that in my character as well. A lot of the look, the grace, and poise for my character comes from seeing a lot of pictures of princesses from the 18th and 19th century as well. As there was a blend of the British and the Indian cultures at the time, that also showed in their costumes and mannerisms and I tried to grab the essence of that. Indians were suddenly wearing pearls and pastel colors instead of the usual heavy jewellery and the deep dark bright colors that India was used to and it was important to me to show that aspect of culture through my character. I hope that the audience will recognize my efforts and like the character.
You got married during the lockdown phase. How is this new journey?
Yes, I am a member of the elite group of people who got married during the lockdown phase. I am not sure if that’s lucky or not but I am pretty certain about the fact that anybody and everybody who tied the knot during the lockdown had never picturized for their wedding to be the way it must’ve been where instead of welcoming people by sprinkling rose water on them, we had to opt to do the same using sanitizers. Throughout my wedding album, people are seen to be sporting a mask, either on their faces or their chin.
It’s a memory of a lifetime now. In the future when we look back at these pictures, it would make a great story to tell. We were very scared and in doubt about the wedding taking place as the lockdown restrictions were constantly changing. I always wanted to get married in the year 2020 as it had quite the ring to it. Little did I know that it would turn out to be the worst year humanity has seen in a long long time. Nevertheless, I am extremely happy about getting married during the lockdown as I could not wait to start a life with my husband. I am grateful that my near and dear ones could be a part of it. A lot of my friends could not make it to the wedding which is understandable, given the current situation. Though, I am very happy that it happened when it happened and it is a lifetime memory as it was quite different than your usual wedding. All in all, it has been lovely but the fact that I haven’t been on my honeymoon yet is quite annoying.