International Women's Day: Koneenica Banerjee to Payel De; Leading ladies share how they draw inspiration from reel characters

The connection between reel to real and vice versa is always interesting. Both worlds find inspiration from each other quite often. These leading ladies, who rule the small screen with elan, aren’t an exception. They play an ideal daughter, wife, and daughter-in-law as moreover a fearless woman who doesn’t hesitate to wage a war against the wrongdoers. The fighting spirit of Sohochori, Anandi, Nirupama and Mou not only entertain the audience but also strike a connection with its relatable factors. Many of their fans found inspiration from these reel characters. Interestingly, the actresses essaying the strong female protagonists also found ignition from the roles they are playing on-screen. On International Women's Day, ETimes TV spoke with some of the very popular leading ladies who poured their heart out. (Photo: Facebook)

Housewife Sohochori, who has been deprived of love and respect in her marital life, decides to pursue unfulfilled dreams on the other side of 40s. Actress Koneenica Banerjee, who plays the character says, “The character is dedicated to my mom and all those women who are just like her. At times, when I see myself on-screen living the life of Sohochori, I see my mom’s reflection. Sohochori dedicated her life to her family, shouldered all her duties with a smile on her face. To play the character I don’t have to look outside for inspiration. We have many women like Sohochori around us.” While real-life inspiration helped her portray the character, the actress shared how much she is moved by Sohochori’s indomitable spirit, “I loved the way Sohochori kept her dreams alive deep in my heart. How she explains to her husband Samaresh that he doesn’t own her. Or when Sohochori raises voice against domestic abuse.” (Photo: Facebook)

Arkoja, in her debut show, played the role of a girl who has to face humiliation in every step because of her appearance. She faced several hurdles on her way to prove her talent but never lost the wind under her wing and that’s what inspired Arkoja in real life too. “Unfortunately, our society still judges a person based on their appearance. Look, skin colour and height matter instead of talent and inner qualities. My reel character Nirupama had to face humiliation in her everyday life because of this but she never lost hope. What inspired me was Nirupama’s indomitable spirit,” says Arkoja.

While the actress was flooded with messages from fans, especially female, sharing their ordeal with Arkoja, they also found inspiration from Nirupama. “I used to get messages from fans, especially females, sharing their real-life experiences. How they used to get humiliated because of their appearances, how the groom’s family rejected them, and other issues. Those girls used to tell me how they not only found solace in Nirupama but also got the inspiration to defy the definition of beauty based on the parameters set by society,” she says. Arkoja took a brief pause and then adds, “My life has been different from Nirupama’s but I have faced struggle too in my career. As an actor, my struggle was different than Nirupama’s but we both had to walk extra miles to prove our worth. And I could slowly realise how, Nirupama was fueling my fighting spirit in real life too.” (Photo: Facebook)

TV show ‘Mou Er Bari’ portrays a relevant issue in its story where a girl wants to take care of her parents even after her wedding. But as a daughter-in-law, she is expected to shoulder the responsibility towards her husband and in-laws. Adrija, who plays the titular role, says, “I play a very strong character. Mou is a sweet and lovable girl who wants to take equal care of her parents as well as her in-laws,” says Adrija. The actress shared how much she is moved by Mou’s courage. “I don’t think we have seen such strong characters on small screen. It is indeed a bold step for a girl to even think of being with her parents and in-laws in the same house after marriage. Like a son, a daughter too has a responsibility towards her parents. Mou doesn’t understand why a girl cannot take care of her parents and in-laws at the same time. It’s either her parents' home or her in laws' home... why can’t she have a home of her own with everybody in it. Her spirit and willpower inspire me a lot,” she adds. (Photo: Facebook)

Actress Payel De is essaying Anandi in ‘Sona Roder Gaan’. Her reel character reflects a strong and independent woman who faces all sorts of struggles to protect her family. “I salute Anandi. The way she handles the situation, protects her family and stands tall without thinking about the societal norms is just commendable,” says the actress.

Tumpa, who has been a part of many popular TV shows, played Durga in ‘Trishul-Teen Shaktir Aadhar’. She is a courageous woman who doesn’t hesitate to raise her voice against oppression and abuse. “Durga is a very strong character who is full of power. She doesn’t hesitate to wage a war against wrongdoers and fights for justice,” says Tumpa. The actress shared that she looks up to Durga as an inspiration. “I always wanted to play a woman who enjoys freedom and is full of courage. And Durga is a ray of hope, she nurtures power, passion, and goodwill for a larger good. Just like the name Durga suggests, the character is really inspiring. And I am really grateful to get the opportunity to play Durga.” (Photo: Facebook)