LEAVING NO STONE UNTURNED

After two career-defining performances with Pagglait and Meenakshi Sundareshwar, Sanya Malhotra speaks of how a spate of digital releases has turned her fortunes

- Suhani Singh

You made your debut with a supporting but significant part in the blockbuster Dangal. What were the biggest lessons you drew from it?

I remember being apprehensive. Given that it was Geeta (played by Fatima Sana Shaikh) who wins gold, I was not playing the lead in the film. I had a discussion with (director] Nitesh Tiwari about my concerns and he said, "Don't see how much screen time you have, see how much impact you can make with your performance." Now I think of what can I do with the character and how I can make it special or different from the ones I have played till now.

You have had five releases on streaming platforms since the pandemic struck. Were you at all concerned that they had all skipped a theatrical run?