Pooja Pandey plays the lead in Manish Mundra’s Siya. In an exclusive interview with IndiaToday.in, Pooja talks about two of the most challenging scenes she had to shoot for Siya.
STAND OUT
- Pooja Pandey plays the title role in Manish Mundra’s Siya.
- She plays a 17-year-old rape survivor who ultimately falls prey to the flawed justice system.
- Siya, which marks Pooja’s Bollywood debut, also stars Vineet Kumar Singh.
Actress Pooja Pandey makes her Bollywood debut with Manish Mundra’s Siya. The film follows the story of Siya Singh, a 17-year-old rape survivor who ultimately falls prey to the flawed justice system. Siya will be released in theaters on Friday, September 16. Ahead of the film’s release, Pooja spoke exclusively to IndiaToday.in about two of the most challenging scenes she had to shoot for Siya.
“THE WHOLE MOVIE WAS HEAVY FOR ME”
Siya follows the story of a gang rape survivor and therefore sensitivity was key in writing the script. First-time director Manish Mundra handles that with the utmost care. But, recreating and reliving those brutal and heinous moments took its toll on Pooja Pandey, who plays the title role in Siya. “The whole movie was mentally heavy for me. Court wala scene, that’s in the trailer, mujhe bohot zyada problem karta tha. Aur sabse zyada abduction scene, which was shot 6-7 days after we started shooting the movie. For that scene, woman sir [Manish Mundra] ne prepare kar diya tha. He said ki ‘tumko hum chain se bandh kar rakhenge, khaana peena sab bandh hai tumhara’ (The court and kidnapping scenes were the most challenging for me. For the kidnapping scene, the director had informed me that I would be chained and not I would). get anything to eat or drink).
Siya, in the film, was chained in a room for days while four men abused her. Pooja also revealed how, to get into character as Siya, she was kept alone in the room while the rest of the team was downstairs. “Mere sath waha koi rehta hi nahi tha. Sab niche aur main uss room mein akeli bandh rehti thi in order to understand how the rape victim must have felt, jiske saath aise hua hai. Uske upar kya beet ta hoga aur kya trauma hota hoga jab vo raat ko soti hogi (There would be no one in the room with me. Everyone was downstairs while I was alone in the room. So I could understand the trauma a rape victim goes through when sleeping at night).” she said.
ABOUT SIYA
Manish Mundra, who has produced such films as Vicky Kaushal’s Masaan and Netwon, starring Rajkummar Rao, is venturing into directing with Siya. In addition to Pooja Pandey, the film stars Vineet Kumar Singh as Siya’s lawyer and family friend. The official synopsis of the film reads: A girl from a small town, Siya, who decides to fight for justice, fights against all odds and starts a movement against the vicious system.
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