Prachi Desai has been in the entertainment industry for so long that it’s easy to forget she’s only 33. The actor returned to film last year with Silence and has since followed it up with another thriller, Forensic. Anyone who has followed or watched her career will notice that the roles she is currently playing are very different from her established on-screen image. Prachi Desai spoke with Hindustan Times about her ‘different’ role and the challenges she has faced due to her image over the years.
Vikrant Massey, Radhika Apte, and Rohit Roy also star in Forensic, which premiered on Zee5 on June 24. The thriller directed by Vishal Furia is set in Mussoorie and follows a cop and a forensic expert on the hunt for a serial killer. Prachi, whose performance as a psychoanalyst with a dark secret has been lauded by critics and fans alike, expresses gratitude for the opportunity. These are characters I’ve always wanted to do, and I think OTT deserves the credit for that. “Huge hazards and potential you never dreamed of” are waiting for you in this location, according to what she has said.
Prachi had never played a negative character in her career before, so it was a new challenge for her. “You have to go into these gray zones, which are very uncomfortable,” she says of how entering the mind space of a cold-blooded killer affected her mental health. As an actor, I believe it just happened. It was simple. The amusing part is that I would instantly switch it on and off. I was laughing if you saw the shot after it was cut and if the camera was still rolling. And I don’t mean this negatively. I don’t want anyone to think I was having fun with it. I’m not sure how to phrase it correctly, but you don’t want to linger too long. You really shouldn’t for the sake of your mental health.”
Prachi Desai claims that before the advent of streaming platforms, she had difficulty getting challenging roles because of her on-screen image and appearance. She has largely played the simple girl-next-door since her debut with the TV show Kasamh Se (2006) or her film debut in Rock On!! (2008). According to the narrator, “to some extent, that was a hurdle that I was facing.” Previously, if a role of this nature was available, they assumed I would have a very soft face for it. Nobody was sure how they could use this to their advantage. At the end of the day, cross-casting is admirable. That is what makes you sit up and take notice. It’s very easy to keep casting people in the same roles because you’re so comfortable watching them do it.”
She claims she was recently told she is ‘too pretty for certain types of roles, a comment she isn’t sure is meant as a compliment. “I was made aware of this right before the release of Forensic.” Someone on the platform made the observation, “Don’t you think she’s too pretty for it?” in response to an appealing job that was open for auditions. I thanked the director for at least informing me of this. I’m just relieved that they don’t doubt my ability; they don’t think I’m lacking in any way. But they think I’m too attractive.”I’m not sure what the acceptable response is for that, but I’m not going to take it badly,” Prachi Desai chuckles. For this situation, “I’m not sure what the acceptable response should be.”
Prachi, on the other hand, is relieved that she is being told all of this because the feedback will help her improve and make changes. She goes on to say that “there will be these hurdles that you will have to push harder against and get over at every stage of your life.” [Continued from the previous sentence. Unfortunately, they are frequently beyond your control. But at least I know what they think now. If I hadn’t, I’d be wondering why I’m not getting these types of roles and parts. It’s important to be aware of these obstacles and how to work around them.”
And, according to Prachi, the best part about playing these roles isn’t the approval of others, but rather self-satisfaction. “It’s not about proving anything to anyone, just the existence of a box.” “There is so much more than you can do for your satisfaction,” she says before signing off.
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