Rasika Dugal opens up about juggling between two distinct characters in Mirzapur The Movie and Little Thomas

Rasika Dugal

Only a month after we saw her as the shrewd Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur: The Movie, we'll see another facet of Rasika Dugal - the warm and vulnerable Jessie Miranda in director Kaushal Oza's Little Thomas. Set in 1990s Goa, the Gulshan Devaiah, Dugal, and child actor Hridansh Parekh-starrer has her playing a young mother who finds meaning in a quiet domestic life. The contrast between the characters was particularly interesting as Dugal shot the two projects simultaneously.

"I enjoyed juggling a crime action thriller and a dramedy. I guess one was a relief from the other," laughed the actor. Of course, moving between the two characters came with its own challenges. She shared, "The switch in accents was the confusing bit. While Beena's world demanded a strong North Indian Hindi accent, Jessie required me to adopt a Goan accent. I worked with a dialect coach to ensure that the new voice did not carry traces of my Mirzapur character."

A still from ‘Little Thomas'. Pics/Youtube, Instagram

Accents were not the only distinction. Dugal had to consciously step away from Beena's behavioural patterns, and understand Jessie's motivations and emotions. "The conscious separation is perhaps what makes Jessie so interesting. Beena was driven by survival, power, and revenge, while Jessie is defined by her relationship with her family and her passion for music," reflected the actor.

Oct 23
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