In a legend's shoes: Mrudula Murali

There could not have been a better day for an announcement of this magnitude. Actress Mrudula Murali has been waiting for the birth anniversary of Captain Dr Lakshmi Sehgal — the braveheart of the Indian National Army to announce the big news. “I have been given the task of filling Captain Lakshmi’s shoes as I play her in my debut Bollywood film Raag Desh — Birth of a nation,” says Mridula. The film is directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia and stars Kunal Kapoor and Mohit Marwah. The role came to Mrudula through sheer luck — a case of being the right face for the right role.

She elaborates, “Since it is a biopic based on the INA (Indian National Army) trials, the makers were very particular about the actors having a resemblance to the historical figures. They saw my photos on Instagram and approached me for the role. I had to go through an audition and then got selected.. My part of the shoot is scheduled to begin next month and I am really excited about it,” says Mridula who is over the moon at having got this golden chance to portray the revolutionary.

Though it is a great role for a debut in Bollywood, it also requires a lot of homework. Mrudula mentions, “I sourced and read whatever books I could find and I am not taking my role lightly. Captain Lakshmi was a much admired woman and I spoke to people who knew her and also gathered info online. Happily for me, Tigmanshu has done detailed research too, so I got a lot of material to work on.” The shoot of the film will have locations at the Indo- Pak border and the tense situation along the border areas has led to a delay in filming.

In Malayalam, Mrudula has had the good fortune of having shared screen space with the youngsters. In Bollywood, she would be working with experienced actors and director, but she would also face the challenge of an alien working environment. Is she nervous? “The cast and crew are all big and there are also having foreign actors in the film. Yes, it is a different industry but if you ask me, I am more excited than nervous. I am actually looking forward to the beginning of the shoot!”