Even in a year as slow and uncertain as 2020, Bhumi Pednekar has had two solid releases in Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare and Durgamati. While the former won her praise, the latter came in for its fair share of criticism. But Bhumi, who says that she takes both bouquets and brickbats in her stride, is looking forward to the new year. A candid chat.

This year, you featured in cameos in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Bhoot — Part One: The Haunted Ship, and then had direct-to-digital releases in Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare and Durgamati. How do you look back at 2020 in terms of your career and the choices you made?

In March, when the lockdown happened, we all hoped that things would get better by June. But that didn’t happen. So when Balaji (Motion Pictures) told me that they felt that Netflix would be the right collaborator for Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare, I was actually excited. We had great plans for Dolly Kitty... we had done a couple of (film) festivals last year and this year, we were again targeting about seven-eight festivals. But then w hen the lockdown happened, we felt this was the right way to reach out to a wider audience. The film released and got a lot of love, and thank God for that!

While I was promoting Dolly Kitty, I got into work mode again. I started working right at the end of June itself. And then Durgamati happened, featuring me in a role I hadn’t played before. It was something different for me and I had a great time playing that girl. I constantly look for parts that challenge me, that get me out of my comfort zone and excite me intellectually. Both these films gave me a chance to show a different side of me as an actor.

Has not having the pressure of the box office been liberating?

In all honesty, I really don’t know. With a digital release, you can’t really gauge the validation that you are looking for. The producers obviously recover their money and it’s good for them, but for actors, the box office represents some sort of validation. With an OTT release, one gets a lot of love and critical acclaim and the Friday release pressure is still there because the film is out in the public domain and the reviews start coming in. But the thrill one feels with a release in cinemas is a lot more... it’s a gamble, right? (Laughs) The audiences are different on both platforms, the reactions are different.... I am still learning.

Has the way in which you react to criticism changed over the years?

Yes absolutely. I take criticism just like I take appreciation. I don’t take either too seriously. I am anyway pretty harsh on myself and I am always in touch with reality. I know when something hasn’t turned out too well. I know that where there is love, there will be criticism too, and that most of it will be constructive. A lot of appreciation doesn’t inflate my ego, and a lot of criticism doesn’t deflate my self-respect.

How do you look at the Indian creative space at this point of time, especially after a year that has thrown up so much depth and diversity in content?

I have watched a lot of Indian content this year, be it Paatal Lok or Scam (1992) or a lot of the original films that came out. I feel that some of the work has been disruptive. I have been watching content on streaming platforms for a while now and I always wondered, ‘Why aren’t we making stuff that can compete at the global level?’ And this year, I think, we have had that. I have been envious of many actors who have done some fantastic work, like what Jaideep Ahlawat did in Paatal Lok or the lead role in Scam or Family Man, for example. I feel that whatever is going to come in the future will be bigger and better.

What’s the year been like personally?

The biggest realisation for everyone has been that health is truly wealth. We end up working so much that at times we don’t prioritise ourselves. Before this pandemic, I couldn’t say ‘no’ to anything that was offered to me. It could be any work and in any kind of capacity, but I just couldn’t say ‘no’. I always believed that I am fortunate to be offered this, so how could I let go of it? Now I have realised that I have to take care of myself for longevity.

I have also realised that I enjoy solitude. All my life, in my head, I have thought that I am someone who is dependent on people. This year made me realise that I love being alone. I have been constantly shooting for the last few years, and I am always surrounded by people. The only time I was alone was when I was sleeping. These last few months have made me realise that I can spend days by myself, and I love it.

Have you gone back to shooting?

I haven’t shot for a full-length feature yet, but I have finished a lot of pending work, some brand work.... I know a few colleagues who have gone back to work have contracted the virus, but they have bounced back very quickly and have gone back to work. That gives me a lot of courage. Also, I may not have shot for a feature yet, but I have spent four days a week on set, and that’s quite a bit. At the end of the day, you have got to do what you have got to do. There is an entire ecosystem that’s dependent on me working. I am a little nervous, but I am okay. If God forbid I do fall ill, I will figure it out. I only want to make sure that I don’t endanger other people.

How does what we are going through this year impact and inform your initiative as a ‘Climate Warrior’?

What has happened is something that scientists have been speaking for a very long time. Because of the shift in temperatures around the world, the natural habitat we live in changes, bringing many viruses to the fore. Through my personal efforts as a ‘Climate Warrior’ I have tried to bring about some awareness, but this year, people have experienced it first-hand. I just hope that people do understand that this is not a one-off situation. I am being realistic here and saying that humanity should not take our environment for granted, because there could be more instances like this in the future. We are literally fighting for our survival now.

You turned vegetarian during the lockdown. What’s that journey been like?

That’s actually been one of the biggest life-altering experiences for me this year. This happened because of Climate Warrior. Over the last few years, I had reduced my meat consumption. I ate some fish because I love seafood. But then I educated myself a lot as far as planet conservation is concerned and what I learnt taught me a lot about why I shouldn’t pursue a non-vegetarian lifestyle. How do I reduce my carbon footprint? This is the only thing that I have control over. I love it! I don’t miss eating non-vegetarian food... I am not one of those people who will go back to it.

Workwise, what is 2021 looking like?

Very exciting. I have a couple of projects lined up. I am going to start the year with Badhaai Do (co-starring Rajkummar Rao). I am extremely excited about working with Rajkummar and (director) Harshvardhan Kulkarni. Whatever is going to happen after that is not something that I can talk about yet. We will have to wait.