Banita Sandhu will soon be seen as Kavita in the film Mother Teresa & Me. The film also stars Jacqueline Fritschi-Cornaz and Deepti Naval. It is directed by Kamal Musale and will hit the silver screens on May 5. The Free Press Journal caught up with Banita for an exclusive tête-à-tête. Excerpts:
Tell us about your role in Mother Teresa & Me. Your character seems to be pregnant? How was the experience?
Yes, she has an unexpected pregnancy out of wedlock in the beginning of the movie. She is in a lost space of life. She has a sense of how she should deal with it. When she decides which path to take, she escapes from London and comes to India. In India, she meets Deepali, her nani played by Deeptiji. Deepali has a relationship with mother Teresa’s foundation. As she was the first adopted child here. Therefore she is first to talk to her about the child.
You have been choosing different kinds of characters. Earlier you did October. Are you in touch with director Shoojit Sircar?
I’m in touch with Shoojit Sircar. I did another movie with him starring Vicky Kaushal. Sardar Udham (2021). I love Shoojit Sircar. He is one of the best directors.
Have the makers of Mother Teresa & Me shown the hiccups of a pregnant lady that she faces during the months of her pregnancy?
Kavita is in full denial as she has run away and escaped to India. She will have to deal with the fact that she is pregnant. When you watch the movie, you will understand what I'm saying. It’s less focused on the part that she is pregnant and more focused on the fact that she doesn't know what to do. She is 25 years old.
Why is the film titled Mother Teresa & Me?
It isn’t a biopic. It’s a chapter in her life where she loses her faith and loses her connection with Jesus. So she was living with a feeling of abandonment. Two stories are juxtaposed with one another and this film humanises Mother Teresa. It doesn't take her on a pedestal or make her seem like a hero. It shows the real person she is. By the end of the movie, we are all human.
How did you get this film?
I was shooting for Sardar Udham in Amritsar. Kamal came to Mumbai to meet me. I auditioned as he wanted to see what he could get out of me as an actor. There were specific things to do in this character so I had to take it up.
What other projects do you have?
I have one more Hindi release coming this year but I can't tell you anything about it except that it’s a commercial entertainer.
