In a recent interview Nadita shared her experience of working in an Adoor Gopalakrishnan film and her motivations behind being an actress. Excerpts:

Why do you think there is no interest in good and different cinema today unlike the '70s?

Nandita: "It has become the chicken and egg situation. Media says people want to know who is getting married to whom, who is eating where and things like that. But people say this is what they give us! We don't know when this started but it has to stop. I am personally not for banning or anything like that but I feel we have to create alternatives. When we create an alternative, there will be people who will seek that. In fact, I did a Marathi film by Chitra Palekar called Maathi Maay, which was screened in the Toronto, London, Goa and Kerala film festivals. It was also released in Maharashtra. We had a special screening in Delhi and I had told my driver to see it. Even though it was in Marathi with English subtitles -- both languages he does not understand -- he was completely moved by the film."

You've worked for women's and human rights issues. Were you reminded of real life characters while acting in the film?

Nandita: "Absolutely. Because of your experiences, you know a woman like Kamakshi does exist. You also know what she goes through. You are not just playing the character, you are going through the psyche of a person like Kamakshi. I don't think about the character beforehand. Even during the rehearsal, I do only the broad action. Then, in the action and cut, I try and be that person."

Do you feel like an outsider while acting in languages you don't understand?

Nandita: "I don't know where I belong. If you ask me where I am from, I would say, everywhere. What I am today is because of all the experiences I had from different parts of India and the world. I feel fairly comfortable whether I am in Kerala or Bengal or Tamil Nadu. Though I grew up completely in an urban area, I feel very comfortable in rural areas too."

Surprisingly, most of your films are based in rural India...

Nandita: "Yes, they say I have become a spokesperson for the rural woman. I feel happy about it. You know I am just back after acting as a rural Pakistani woman for a Pakistani film!"

You look like a Malayali in a Malayalam film, and a Tamilian in a Tamil film and Bengali in a Bengali film...

Nandita: "I know. Mrinalda (Mrinal Sen) used to say something like this: 'You are ordinarily extraordinary! Your face is ordinary enough to be extraordinary everywhere. I take it as a big compliment. My father is from Orissa, and my mother from Gujarat and I have learnt many languages from childhood. Perhaps that shows on my face. I think you have to be open-mined and less judgmental to relate to these believable characters, and I do relate to their experiences."

Why do you act?

Nandita: "I began acting because it was another medium to convey what I feel strongly about. Films gave me an opportunity to talk about things that are close to my heart. I realise there is a kind of connection between real life and films. Acting is still an interest for me, and not a profession. As and when I get something interesting, I do it. For months, when I don't get anything interesting, I do something else. So, there is no method in my madness!"

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent