For a theatre actor, adapting to screen acting should be a piece of cake — or so we believe. For Ranjana Aanjjan Srivastav, however, moving to films and OTT after 15 years in theatre was a difficult pill to swallow, until the COVID-induced lockdown pushed her to experiment. After shooting for her yet-to-be-released OTT show, Ranjana is now making her film debut with Chand Tara. Directed by Padmashree Mohammad Ali Baig, the period film may differ from a play, but the actor felt at home owing to the theatre background of the cast and crew. And what better platform than the Cannes Film Festival to showcase art?
Ranjana with father Aanjjan Srivastav
Ranjana calls it a “pinch me” experience for the entire team after learning that Chand Tara’s trailer would be launched at the French Riviera. Promoting art? Check. Introducing the film to a wider audience? Check. A larger-than-life debut? Check. What more could one ask for? The actor says the team always harboured the dream of taking the film to festivals, but the trailer launch at Cannes was an unexpected turn. “We were very sure that we wanted to give the film a fair chance at festivals. The whole film is essentially made by theatre people. The tone is poetic, aesthetic, and very theatrical,” shares the actor of the film, also starring Mohan Agashe. “It feels like all those years on stage have culminated into this moment. For all of us, Cannes is a huge pat on the back,” she adds.
