12th Fail actress Medha Shankr shares with us her experience of being the leading lady of a Vidhu Vinod Chopra directorial and what Vidya Balan told her after watching the film, co-starring Vikrant Massey.

In an exclusive conversation with us, Medha talked about the film, her role, working with director Chopra, getting a call from Vidya Balan for her performance and so much more.

Tell us about the moment when you were cast for 12th Fail.

Medha Shankr: It went on for three months. First, I auditioned at the casting agency. Then I was told that the director wanted to screen-test me, so I met Vidhu (Vinod Chopra) sir, Vikrant (Massey) and the entire team. That screen test went really well because sir seemed happy. He told me that there would be a photo shoot and more screen tests with me after he returned from his vacation in LA. He jokingly said, ‘For Parineeta, we screen-tested Vidya Balan 26 times before locking her.’ I said, ‘Sir, you can take 26,000 screen tests if you want, I’m ready.’

I knew that Vidhu Vinod Chopra sir is not easy to impress. Fortunately for me, I gave only one more test and within a week I got a call from him. He said, ‘Give the phone to your father and put it on speaker.’ Then he told my father, ‘Mr Shankar, your daughter is going to be the leading lady of our film. Congratulations.’ It was an emotional moment for me and my father.

What was it like being directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra? Did you ever feel intimidated on the sets?

Medha Shankr: When Vidhu sir spoke to my father, he said, ‘I am a very strict director. Everyone says that I am intimidating.’ He usually says it himself. But what I have experienced on set was very different. Sir has been incredibly kind to me and to everyone actually. He really takes care of his actors.

Vidhu sir is a perfectionist and an absolute genius of a filmmaker. So, when you work with someone like that, you have to be mentally prepared. Because they expect a certain standard of work from you and you have to deliver that. In that scenario, you are on your toes and your back is against the wall. If you are not able to deliver in some scenes, sir knows how to bring out the best in you as an actor.

When you work with him, after wrapping the film, you realise how much you have grown as an actor and as a human being. Working under Vidhu sir’s tutelage was like a film institute experience. He was very kind to me. He is a hard taskmaster for sure. You can’t be like – come on set, act averagely, and you’re good to go. No, he will not let you do that. You have to be brilliant.

What was his brief to you about playing Shraddha Joshi?

Medha Shankr: One thing that sir told me from the beginning was that the film was not a biopic. It is inspired by the lives of Manoj Kumar Sharma and Shraddha Joshi but I was not supposed to imitate Shraddha ma’am. He told me to take inspiration from who she is and then make my own character. That’s exactly what I did.

So, you met the real Shraddha Joshi?

Medha Shankr: Yes. Sir made me meet Shraddha ma’am and Manoj sir even before I was locked for the part. I interacted with them at their house for six hours. I was taking notes to understand who she was beyond the book and the script. I built my own Shraddha, taking inputs from ma’am and sir.

You got a call from Vidya Balan after she watched 12th Fail. What did she tell you?

Medha Shankr: I am a big admirer of Vidya Balan’s work. Basically, all close associates of Vidhu sir including Vidya Balan watched 12th Fail before the release. One night, I was having dinner at home when I got a message from Vidhu sir saying, ‘Call me’. I kept my dinner aside and called him. He said, ‘Vidya Balan wants to speak to you.’

Then Vidya ma’am spoke to me at length. She said, ‘I noticed all the nuances that you gave. You’re a terrific actor.’ She told me all the little things that she noticed in my performance and said, ‘I am so happy for you and I can’t wait to see what work you do in the future.’ I told her how big a fan I am of hers. It absolutely made my day. When I met her at the success party, I thanked her personally.

The love story between Manoj and Shraddha is so empowering. How did you work on your chemistry with Vikrant Massey?

Medha Shankr: This is the only kind of love that I relate to and believe in. Shraddha’s aspect of love came naturally to me. It is so surreal when we realise that Vikrant and I have so much in common with Manoj sir and Shraddha ma’am – our intellect and worldviews. My definition of love is no drama, no nonsense, no cheating, no lying. It’s the kind of relationship where two people hold hands and tell each other, ‘You win your goal, I win mine and we do it together and no matter what, we’re not giving up on each other’. So, what you see in Shraddha on screen is what I, Medha, am.

Vikrant and I are good friends off-screen now. The critics have written about the chemistry but it is also in the writing. Manoj and Shraddha were so beautifully written that it became easier. The credit goes to writing.

You sang ‘Bolo Na’ yourself while shooting. What was that experience like?

Medha Shankr: It was a childhood dream to do playback in my film and that dream came true in my very first film. Bolo Na is such a beautiful song. I sang it on location. Music is a very important part of my life. I am so grateful to have had that opportunity in my first film.

Did you realise while you were filming 12th Fail that it would get such an overwhelming response?

Medha Shankr: No one has ever asked me this, so thank you. When we were shooting the film, halfway into it, I remember telling the associate director of the film, ‘None of you are realising what you’re making.’ There was a divine intuition that I had since the very beginning.

There were rigorous auditions happening for the same part over three months. But for some reason, I knew that this film was for me, and nobody could do what I could do. I don’t understand where it came from but I was convinced. I also had the same conviction about the film that what we were making was something magical because of the honesty and purity that everyone was putting into the film.

Have you received any offers after 12th Fail?

Medha Shankr: I have not taken up any project yet. I have to be extra careful because I have been part of such a good film. I want to make the right decision with the next film. So, yes, there are offers, but I am waiting for something that truly makes me happy and convinced to do the film.