Raima Sen - "There Are Camps In The Industry, You Have To Be Different To Survive"

Raima Sen's Vodka Diaries has released and yet again she has chosen a film which is performance oriented instead of being the kind where a leading lady is just a prop. That's a conscious call that Raima has taken in a career spanning a couple of decades where she has done over 65 films already. While she has mixed it up with Hindi as well as Bengali films, there is certain credibility that she brings to her part and characterization. We get chatting with Raima as she talks about the camp system that prevailing in the industry, different subjects that she is choosing, the luck factor as well as her upcoming releases.

How are finding it in the industry after been around for so long?

A realization that you have to carve a certain niche for yourself! You can't compete in this industry; there are a lot of camps after all. Most out there have their own camps and to survive in there you have to be little different. You have to bring something of your own so that people can come to you and say that 'hey, we loved you in Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.'. Moreover, I am also doing a lot of films in Bengali. I am fortunate this way because I can afford to choose. How about those people actors though who don't have regional backing?

You seem to prefer performance oriented roles over something which relies primarily on glamour. You must be looking back proudly at all the work that you have done, right?

I have always done performance-oriented parts. Be it Bollywood Diaries, Children of War , Mirch, The Japanese Wife, Manorama Six Feet Under, Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., Eklavya, The Bong Connection, Parineeta or so many other Bengali films that I have done. I have chosen them all quite carefully. Of course, I do get a lot of rubbish scripts as well; I have to sort them all out carefully (laughs).

How do you do that?

I choose the best offers from those five or six that come my way. That said, one has to admit that luck also plays a big thing in Bollywood. I am very lucky this way because some of the best directors still reach out.

Still, don't you feel that Bollywood, in particular, hasn't quite utilized you well as per your potential?

Your body of work should count, and not the number. So no, what you say isn't something that has come to my mind ever. Also, there is a lot to do with the time factor. When something has to come your way, it will. You can't chase time. A lot of people tell me that they don't see me in Bollywood often. I always tell them that there is a lot of time still left (smiles).

So in time to come, which films do we see you in?

Quite a few interesting ones actually. There is a light-hearted film called 3 Dev where I am opposite Kunaal Roy Kapur. I am playing Bhairavi (smiles). Then there is Ishq Kabhi Kariyo Naa opposite Prateik. It is a romantic thriller directed by Rana Bhatia. Kuldip Patwal: I Didn't Do It! is a courtroom drama directed by Remy Kohli. The film has Deepak Dobriyal playing Kuldip Patwal; I am playing a lawyer and Parvin Dabas' wife. I have also done Raakh with Tanuja Chandra with Rajeev Khandelwal as the male lead. I am looking forward to the release of each of these films.

Raima Sens Vodka Diaries has released and yet again she has chosen a film which is performance oriented instead of being the kind where a leading lady is just a prop. That' a conscious call that Raima has taken in a career spanning a couple of decades where she has done over 65 films already. While she has mixed it up with Hindi as well as Bengali films, there is certain credibility that she brings to her part and characterization. We get chatting with Raima as she talks about the camp system that prevailing in the industry, different subjects that she is choosing, the luck factor as well as her upcoming releases.