Tnusree is revelling in the praise coming her way for her performance in Srijit Mukherji’s film Gumnaami. A t2 chat with Tnusree over sushi (Avocado Roll and Spicy Salmon Roll), Yakitori, Prawn Tempura and cheese cake at Japanese restaurant Aajisai in Quest...

Tell us about your character in Gumnaami?

I play Ronita, Anirban’s (Bhattacharya) wife, in the film. She works in a company as an HR professional. She loves her husband... but as he buries his nose in his Netaji research work, the film goes on to show how she deals with the whole situation.

How was it working with Anirban and Srijit?

This is the second time I worked with Anirban after Durga Sohay. He is a fantastic actor. I had a great time working with Srijit. He is a perfectionist.

What’s the difference between Bedroom’s Tnusree and Gumnaami’s Tnusree?

I have calmed down as an actress. Earlier I would get anxious just before the beginning of a shoot. It doesn’t happen now. It is effortless. I believe in doing my homework and going to the set.

Your performances in Bedroom, Durga Sohay and Bunohaans had come in for a lot of praise. How do you look back at those characters?

I like to do different kinds of work. The film that I am acting in should be different from the last one. In Bedroom, I was very natural. Mainak (Bhaumik) had briefed me about the character graph. The girl was very vulnerable. That was the key word. The character had many layers. To connect with the character, I tried to feel her pain. I was in that mental make-up. When playing characters with such emotional depth I try to place myself in those situations. Workshops take care of the technical details. For Durga Sohay, my character was like a mother figure. Someone with a lot of maya and momota. She would be the comforting figure. She believed in people. Arindamda (Sil) guided me to make the character come to life on screen. Rijula was a mysterious character in Bunohaans. She was a powerful, tough character, just like the others I have portrayed.

If you get a chance to play Tanisha in Bedroom again, how would you do it?

I would leave her just the way she is. That character came out perfectly... it had a certain kind of innocence.

Are you a director’s actor?

Yes, completely. I am a director’s actor. At the same time my thoughts about a character should align with the director’s. I have this desire to do more… so once I did all I could with modelling at the beginning of my career, cinema was the next step for me. Cinema was the new thing that helped me to grow. I felt that it was the right path. Acting made me happy. I felt satisfied. It was a natural progression. I want to associate myself with cinema… with art. I love to watch films. Actors like Meryl Streep and Aamir Khan are my inspirations.