OTTplay Exclusive! Monica Dogra: People will take Ritvik seriously after Cartel

After her performance in The Married Woman not very long ago, Monica Dogra became the name in the OTT world. She is now set to be seen in Cartel in a completely different avatar. With the show, the audiences get to see her sensual side.

OTTplay caught up with the singer-actress to discuss her role and rapport with co-actors, among other things. While she spoke about her scary-yet-sweet experience with Supriya Pathak, Monica also briefly mentioned Ritvik Dhanjani, who is one of the most popular faces of the show. She stated that the show could take him to new heights, while using many other adjectives for him.

Excerpts from the interview...

The Married Woman to Cartel is quite a switch. Is it your message to the world that you are ready for any kind of role?

Not really. I don't really intend on sending out a message to anyone about what I'm willing to do or not do but more about just trying to do what's authentic, real, honest and inspires me. There are so many different factors why people choose a project. It could be about the time in your life. When Cartel came my way, I hadn't acted in five years. So I felt ready to do the quintessential, sexy icon. It doesn't come my way very often so I was excited to play that. A lot of the work in The Married Woman is also so resonant with a lot of the work I explore as an independent artist - through my music and poetry. Who knows why we do what we do but everything leads to something. I'm very happy with my decisions.

Apart from being sexy, we also see you as sanskari in Cartel? I'm, of course, talking about the scene with Supriya Pathak. Tell me about your role and how she transforms.

You never really know what she is. You don't know if she's the villain or the victim. She is high-class, really smart, intimidating and plays with power. Her sensuality is her power. That was really fascinating for me.

What attracted you the most to Cartel?

Working with Ritvik was a big one. He is one of my favourite people on Earth. The script is also really epic. It's a massive story - so many characters, different storylines and tracks. I wondered how they would go about it. Then there were so many meetings. I read the script with Ritvik, a director I met and many others over-and-over for three years. I had a feeling it was a huge vision. The actors coming on board was also why I decided on the project.

What is the first thing you look for in a script while picking projects?

I should be able to visualize. Now I've done so much that I have the eye of a director and writer. I usually try to feel the script. If I can do that, then I will take it a step further.

What kind of preparation did it take to fit into the character?

I coached a lot in Hindi. On sets, I navigated Maya's body language. I tried to understand how a person like her, a wealthy tycoon, walked, sat and her body movements. It's very different for me and how I'm usually cast.

In an ensemble film or series, when there are two people in a frame, it is tough for audiences to stay glued to both the characters. How did you make sure that if you were performing in front of say Supriya Pathak, that people were still focused on your character?

I just do the role. That's my job. My job isn't to make anyone pay attention to me over anything else. My job is I'm a storyteller who tells a story. If I play a small role because that's all that's required, then I'm okay with that.

Any memorable moment with Surpriya Pathak?

I love her. As Rani Maa, she plays someone so intimidating that you feel like you're going to pee your pants on sets. She's the loveliest, kindest, sweetest woman ever. She scared me a lot when she was in character but as soon as she broke character, she'd be like "Do you want anything to drink, sweetie? Are you okay. Be comfortable." So nice; she's amazing.

How is Ritvik Dhanjani as a co-star?

He is going to be someone that everyone now thinks of as a very serious actor. He is phenomenal. He's a great actor who prepares and studies. He works so hard. He's humble, dynamic and everything. He's sexy, funny and just amazing.

Have you provided music for the show?

No I did not.

What are your views on OTT censorship?

India needs to relax on how much it censors things. It causes frustration and dysfunction amongst the people. Just let cinema and art be a reflection of reality and truth. Let it make people think and us come together for shift and change, be entertained and inspired. We don't have an issue of needing more censorship but freedom.

Upcoming projects?

I released The Married Woman, now I have Cartel, I also had an 11-episode podcast and released a single. Now I'm just trying to find a balance and not work so hard because I'm tired and burned out.

Are you going to take a break for some time?

Art takes a lot of time. I do a lot of different things. I'm a DJ, singer, writer and actor. I will do all of those things but with more ease and balance, giving myself time to rest.

Cartel will start streaming on AltBalaji from August 20. MX Player's MX Gold also launches with the show. The show and other upcoming shows and movies will be available on MX Gold at Re 1/day subscription.