Rangeen actor Rajshri Deshpande recently opened up on how makers don’t consider unconventional-looking female artistes for lead roles. On the other hand, they are much kinder to their male counterparts
Rajshri Deshpande
Complex characters pull her like a magnet, believes Rajshri Deshpande. And it shows — she has built an eclectic filmography, with powerful roles in Angry Indian Goddesses (2015), Sacred Games, and Trial by Fire (2023). Rangeen is the latest addition to that list. “The subject got an instant yes from me,” she says of the Kabir Khan-backed series, which also stars Viineet Kumar Siingh and Taaruk Raina.
The Prime Video offering tells the story of a man, who turns a gigolo, after he learns of his wife Naina’s involvement with one. The role of a woman in a lonely marriage resonated with Deshpande. “We all have Naina in us, in some way or the other. What I also loved about the show was how a complex situation was written with such simplicity,” she says.
A still from ‘Rangeen’
Through her 13-year career, the actor has consistently chosen stories with substance and scope for her to perform. Even as many talented actors have shone over the last few years, courtesy OTT, Deshpande believes such opportunities are largely reserved for men. She notes that female actors, who are unconventional-looking or walk a different path, have to fight for lead roles. “They [filmmakers] are okay to have a man from Muzaffarpur, but they still need the girl to be from London. So, our fight is ongoing. Actors like Viineet, Rajkummar Rao, and Vijay Varma bag a lot of work. But there are few shows or films where women are taken as leads. I want more women-centric shows.”
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