'Real women are contradictory': Rasika Dugal opens up about female characters in Mirzapur The Movie

Rasika Dugal

Many have loved Beena Tripathi, Rasika Dugal's character in Mirzapur, while others have criticised her manipulative ways. In Mirzapur: The Movie, the character will once again use her craftiness to survive in the male-dominated world of crime and power. According to Dugal, it's this complexity that attracted her to the role.

A still from the film. Pics/Youtube, Instagram

"What drew me to Beena is that she refuses to fit into a neat box. She constantly adapts, negotiates power, makes difficult decisions, and surprises both the audience and herself. That makes her far more interesting to play than someone who is written to appear ‘strong' in every scene. Revisiting Beena in Mirzapur: The Movie has been rewarding because the writing gives audiences the opportunity to see her beyond binaries," said the actor, who is joined by Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, and Shweta Tripathi, among others, in the Gurmmeet Singh-directed film.

Dugal feels that the franchise, through its different female characters, has challenged viewers' expectations of how strong women should behave. She explained, "Strength, by itself, cannot be the only defining trait of a woman. Real women are contradictory. They can be vulnerable one moment and strategic the next; they can be compassionate and make morally questionable choices at the same time."