Jasmine Roy: I didn’t talk to my parents because my character in Subharambha had cut off all ties with hers

After working on TV soaps and being a popular social media influencer in the Bengali film industry, Jasmine Roy made her web series debut with the Hoichoi show, Subharambha.

From her experience in TV shows to her struggles while pursuing her dream of becoming an actor, Jasmine, who shares screen space with Satyam Bhattacharya in Subharambha, talks to us about all these in an exclusive chat with OTTplay.

How was it shooting for Subharambha?

It was good. It was also my debut, but I actually couldn’t differentiate between shooting for a web series and TV series. My character has cut off all ties with her mother. But I, on the other hand, am very close to my mother. I don’t stay with my parents but they call me everyday to ask if I had my dinner. Because my character wasn’t attached to her parents, I stopped talking to my own.

What attracted you to play the musician in the series?

The character herself was very interesting. I play the role of a rockstar. It’s not something that is usually featured in a daily soap, so that interested me. I like music a lot. My day starts and ends with music. I also liked that the story revolved around a female musician. I used to make a lot of Tik Tok videos. I used to lip sync well and that helped me with the series too.

How empowered is your character in the show?

She is strong and at the same time, soft too. When she’s around people, she pretends to be tough. However, when alone, she cries, recalling her past with her father. That situation pushed her to be a musician.

What were your challenges during your journey to becoming an actor?

I hail from a village where a woman is shamed for being an actor. I struggled and came to Kolkata looking for an opportunity. Every woman that I have met has suffered through something. It’s shocking, especially because we call ourselves ‘modern’. Anyway, I worked in theatre before taking up other offers. My parents supported me a lot, but I was always questioned for not staying with them.

How was it working with your co-star Satyam?

Every day, we were picked up by the same car and listened to songs during the drive. We found our own ‘adda’. He’s a very good co-actor. I think Satyam played Mainak beautifully. He transformed into the simple, obedient man that Mainak was. I felt bad when my character Shubhomita would speak rudely to him, to the extent that Satyam had to calm me down and say, ‘It’s okay, it’s just a character’. I improvised in one scene and pulled his cheeks. Both Satyam and his character are really good.

Did he give you any acting tips?

Yes, all the time. I am a good listener, so I take advice from my director and everyone around me. Satyam and I actually helped each other; I reminded him once when he went back to being himself in the middle of the scene.

Was there an instance where you also forgot Shubhomita was a character?

The scene where Shubhomita’s mother asks her if she had food hurt me a lot, because I was not talking to my own mother.

Is Abhijit a strict director?

No, not at all. He would allow you to express yourself. He scolded me once, but I think it was important too. It was a scene between Shubhomita and her best friend. We had to dance and didn’t stop. That’s when Abhijit da lost his cool.

What do you watch a lot of OTT content?

Because I act in daily soaps, I have a tight schedule and don’t even get the time to check my phone. I work from 7 am to 9pm. I have downloaded every OTT service but have not been able to complete a series.