Actress Preeti Gupta, who was seen in the Hyderabad indie film Mere Haule Dost in 2013, is in the news again. Her latest film Unfreedom, directed by debutant Raj Amit Kumar, is banned in the country for sexual violence and graphic nudity.
Preeti, who plays Leela, a lesbian, in the film, says she was surprised when she came to know about the ban. “We knew the film would create a controversy, but we never anticipated the ban. But it’s disappointing when people of your own country don’t want to watch a film addressing a relevant issue,” Preeti adds.
The film was released in the US on May 29, though to a mixed response. But Preeti, who studied at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York, is elated for the praise she received from her teacher Geoffrey Horne. “He’s known to be one of the best Shakespeare directors. He’s extremely critical, so a compliment from him means more than a 100 glorious reviews,” she says.
Despite the explicit content in the film, Preeti’s family and friends have been extremely supportive. “It was a difficult role to play. As an actor, you do experience some moments of fear. I practised Buddhism and that helped me pursue this role without feeling scared,” she says.
Preeti is straight in real life, so she found the experience of kissing a girl funny. “It was more important to make the intimate scenes look convincing. When you watch Brokeback Mountain, you know both the actors (the late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal) are straight in real life, but you tend to forget that because their love story is so powerful,” she says.
After such a bold role, what’s next? “I have just directed my first English play called Owl & The Pussycat.
