Rajshri Deshpande’s latest short film, Gudgudi, made its mark on the international stage at the 47th Odense International Film Festival in Denmark this August. Directed by the renowned filmmaker Abhiroop Basu, Gudgudi is set during the 2002 Gujarat riots and tells the story through the lens of a mother and daughter.
The Trail By Fire actor spoke to The Quint about her journey in the industry, the importance of patience and perseverance, and her reflections from having worked in the industry for 12 years while taking us around her Mumbai home.
Reflecting upon her learnings from the industry, Deshpande said:
"I feel you should not be disheartened if there are rejections, if there is disrespect, if there is no space for you in their life. But there will be content where you will have your space and you will get it. So, patience is very important in this industry. I've learned that strength is very important in the industry and you have to really really hold on to yourself."Rajshri Deshpande, Actor
She added, "The moment you stand up for yourself, every industry will be difficult. Immediately after Sacred Games, I was building a school in a village because I felt that was necessary and important for me. I was getting work at that time but I felt that me being in the village is more important than being on a set. I don't have any regrets of leaving and losing those work.
Rajshri also went on to talk about how her mother got affected by Trial of Fire and how she opts for roles that mirror society, "My own mother actually opened up and said that, 'I wish I had that much of strength like Neelam Krishnamurthy' because she lost her first child due to medical negligence."
"My elder brother died because of that so there are so many women get strength from these characters and I feel you know it's my responsibility to show the mirror. These films are making them think about what is happening in the society and I feel great about," she added.
Deshpande went on to talk about the importance of writers in a project and weighed in on the conversation surrounding actors having an entourage with them.
Watch the video for more.