Banita Sandhu grew up in Caerleon, a small town in South Wales. Bollywood movies were a huge part of her living room, unknowingly preparing for the life she would one day live. Born to first generation British Sikh parents, Banita stayed connected to her Punjabi roots. Acting seemed like the most natural thing to do. Her love for movies being such. Her journey honestly feels like something out of a movie. Banita began working at just 11, while most of us were still figuring out long division. She made her debut on the BBC. She happened to be in India during an IPL season. A chance encounter with Shoojit Sircar got her October. There’s been no looking back. ever since. As we converse, the actress talks about her love for Punjabi food, her experience in Bollywood and her journey so far. Excerpts...
You started working as a child, at the age of 11. How did you decide acting was the way to go?
I always loved film and television growing up. I was obsessed with watching anything that came on television. So one day, I sat my parents down and told them that I wanted to be an actress. Luckily, they took me seriously. I found an agency that I had to audition for. I got signed. I started working from the age of 11. My first project was a BBC show. That was my first job ever. I also did many little things along the way. My career started to pick up professionally when I was 18.
How close were you to your Indian roots while growing up?
I grew up in a predominantly white town in Wales. But I stayed connected to my culture through my family. We would eat my mother’s home-cooked Indian food, it was the best. We would also watch Bollywood movies as and when. I also remember listening to a lot of Hindi and Punjabi songs. My little sister and I would always be asked to dance to Bollywood songs. We would put on performances for our family in the living room.
Despite being born in Wales, what made you choose to work in Bollywood?
It happened by fate. The agent I signed with when I was 11 booked me an advert in India. I shot that during the IPL season. People started asking me if I lived in India or worked in the industry. I had never been to India before. I really wanted to go, so I took the opportunity to visit my motherland and explore. While I was doing that, I was booked for another advert. It was with Shoojit Sircar. He offered me October by the end of that shoot.
What was the advertisement about? Was that your audition?
The ad was for a chewing gum brand. It was like a short film, to be honest, two to three minutes long. We shot for five days in Delhi. It was one of the best experiences ever, to work with a director like Shoojit. Luckily, he and his producers liked the way I worked too. Towards the end of the shoot, he showed me an excerpt of October’s script. It was a small scene but it was beautiful. I told him the scene was poetic. He told me he wanted to shoot it next year and asked if I’d be interested. It was very casual. It didn’t feel like an actual film offer. and I obviously said yes. I said I’d love to work with him again. But I went back to London to start my second year of university. I didn’t think I would hear anything from him. A couple of months later, he called me up and gave me the official offer from his producers. We started preparation. And before I knew it, I was shooting October the following year.
You had a terrific role in Sardar Udham. What was the experience like?
Thank you. It’s still probably my favourite movie that I’ve ever done. The shooting experience was just incredible. Working with Shoojit Sircar again was great. Vicky Kaushal is a master of his craft. I’m awestruck watching him on screen. The best part is, he used to become his lovely, normal and grounded self once we finished filming a scene. We bonded over our love for Punjabi food. It was one of those movies where I realised I was meant to be an actress. It was definitely difficult because it was such a sensitive and horrific topic. The massacre scene that I had to shoot was challenging.
Did you take those scenes back home with you?
I remember coming back to my hotel room and bawling my eyes out. I used to cry to my mom afterwards because it was traumatic. I think there was definitely some generational trauma there. I am Punjabi. I think that’s one of the reasons Shoojit sir wanted me in Sardar Udham. He probably knew how much it would mean to me and to my family. I’m really grateful to him for including me in it.
It’s very interesting that your Tamil debut was the remake of Arjun Reddy, called Adithya Varma. How did the script come to you?
The producer came to me with a direct offer. I knew they had shot the movie before but they weren’t as happy with it as they wanted to be. They were looking for something fresh. I signed on, knowing that they would be open to the suggestions I had regarding the changes in Meera’s character. She’s the Tamil version of Preeti.
Having worked in different film industries, what do you think are the key areas of difference between British, American and Indian film industries?
It’s hard for me to directly compare. The nature of the work I’ve done in these industries has also been different. In America, I’ve done commercial, glossy and high-budget projects. In India, I’ve done more independent and artsy work. The filmmaking processes are different. In India, I’ve noticed that we shoot projects quicker. We could wrap a film in 30 to 35 days. When I shot Bridgerton, shooting one scene could take three, four even five days.
Your presence in Bridgerton season 3 was highly talked about. How was the camaraderie on the sets?
There was no hierarchy. Everyone was friendly. We sat together in the same room. In between shots, we read books, talked about life and made up dances. During winter, we were cold together. It was like being in school again, you just hang out with your classmates. They were wonderful and lovely. The crew members were equally wonderful. It was an incredible experience for me on a set like that.
If I were a fly on the wall, what would I see or hear on the sets of Bridgerton?
You would hear our tea and coffee orders non-stop. You would hear what we thought of lunch, if it was good or bad. You would hear about the books we were reading and the scenes we were doing. Nothing scandalous. All the scandal and drama were saved for the show. It was very chill off the sets.
Are you planning on working in more shows in the West?
Yes. There are a couple of projects in the pipeline. I am really excited about them. However, I have been trying to keep a balance between my work here and projects in the West. I really enjoy working in both places.
Detective Sherdil saw you with a great ensemble cast. But taking up the challenge of playing a mute and deaf person must have been interesting…
We had an incredible cast. That was one of the reasons I signed this movie. Since my character and Purvak’s (Arjun Tanwar) character were mute, a lot of the other cast members also had to speak in sign language. It was really helpful for me to go through that experience with everyone. Our incredible sign language coach, Sitaram ji, teaches deaf and mute children in Mumbai. He held my hand through the whole process. He knew how much it meant to me to get this right, even though I didn’t have much time to prepare. It was a really beautiful experience. I think being on the set with actors like Ratna Pathak Shah and Boman Irani was great. They are seasoned actors. Arjun was so dedicated, this was his debut. I learned so much from the cast. It was like going to acting school again.
Also Read: Shoojit Sircar reveals how Banita Sandhu was chosen for October
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