Actress Pallavi Joshi is stirring up conversations about her upcoming film, ‘The Bengal Files’. She’s taken on a role that’s a real head-turner: playing a woman who’s lived for a full century. This choice has audiences buzzing, eager to see how she brings such a complex character to life.
Talking to Amar Ujala, Pallavi shared what it took to step into such big shoes. It wasn’t just about makeup; it was about truly understanding someone who’s seen so much history unfold. She called the part both unique and incredibly challenging. Imagining the life of a 100-year-old woman and trying to capture her very spirit felt like a huge task. Pallavi admitted she even worried if she could pull it off. In fact, she often told director Vivek Agnihotri that they needed the perfect person for this role. But, as fate would have it, she ended up taking it on herself. Seeing the positive reactions from the audience made all her hard work feel completely worth it.
Before its release, ‘The Bengal Files’ has already sparked some debate. The film’s trailer launch in Kolkata, for instance, saw quite a commotion. But all eyes are now on Pallavi’s performance, especially one detail that sets it apart.
No Prosthetics? No Problem!
What’s really interesting is that Pallavi chose not to use prosthetics for her character. This wasn’t just a random choice. The team wanted her role to look very natural, just like a real grandma or aunt. Prosthetics can sometimes make facial expressions stiff. While that works for horror movies, they needed a gentle, homely, and loving woman. Plus, to be frank, hiring top-notch prosthetic artists on their budget simply wasn’t possible. They also couldn’t shoot in Bengal, which meant building a large set and increasing costs. So, they relied on a clever mix of makeup and visual effects to create the character. Their main goal was to let the character’s true soul shine through, not just a mask.
A Look Back at Television
Pallavi Joshi started her career in television. When asked about how the TV world has changed, she sounded a bit wistful. She shared that she doesn’t get much time to watch TV these days. But when she does, she sees many differences. She remembers the Doordarshan era as a “golden time.” Back then, shows like ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’, ‘Rajni’, ‘Udaan’, ‘Darpan’, ‘Shanti’, and ‘Aarohan’ offered strong, forward-thinking roles for women.
Then came private channels and daily soaps. These were good and tasteful at first, with talented directors involved. However, over time, television became like a “monster,” as she put it. It started demanding new content every single day, no matter the quality. Since her career began on TV, seeing this shift genuinely makes her sad. She feels that stories now lack a proper structure; they just keep going on and on.
Beyond her acting in ‘The Bengal Files’, Pallavi Joshi is also involved as a producer. Her last acting role was in the film ‘Tanvi The Great’, where she played the character of Vidya Raina.