
Priyanka Setia is a known Bollywood actor who was recently seen portraying a pivotal character in Prime Video’s acclaimed horror drama series Khauf written by Smita Singh. In an exclusive interview with The Movie Mail, Priyanka gets candid about how her latest OTT series breaks stereotypes while addressing important societal issues, including patriarchy and crimes against women.
Priyanka also talks about her background in theatre and how it has helped in her craft, her favourite character from Khauf, and more.
Edited excerpts:
Khauf is gathering huge attention and praise, and you play a prominent character in it. What has this experience meant to you personally and professionally?
A. Honestly, I’m very happy for Smita (Singh), because she has put her everything into the show as a creator and showrunner. I’ve seen her every day on the set with the directors, actors, and editors, among other important aspects, during the shoot. So, I know how hard she has worked on it.
I am personally very happy with it, but when I look back at the show and my performance in it, I mostly focus on the flaws and mistakes, and how I can rectify them in the future. I am always criticising my work. So, professionally, I feel thankful that viewers are liking it. I hope I can get good work after this show when people watch my character of Rima, resonate with her, and like her too. Meanwhile, I am very thankful and grateful, and there’s a feeling of contentment.
Your character, Rima, has her own traits that set her apart from the others in the show. She is the one who attacks the villain, which leads to the antagonist’s fate. What was your reaction when you read about that part in the script for the first time?
A. Actually, that part was improvised on set and not written in the script. It was the time when Jeeva (antagonist) survived, so we (cast and makers) were contemplating the reactions of all five women in the scene, including me. The villain in the show was abusing us profusely. But after a point, all the humiliating words and abuses stopped making much difference in the scene, and I couldn’t get motivated for the final act. Then the idea came out about how he would provoke me, so that my character would be left with no choice but to lethally attack him.
Sometimes, while working in a creative field, you don’t write or plan certain things, and the divine power helps and guides you. That’s what happened with us that night during filming that particular scene.
There are so many instances of patriarchy and misogyny in the show, such as that of a man harassing a woman on the bus or a conservative in-laws demanding an illegal sex determination exam. How important do you think those sequences are in Khauf?
A. I think the show is mainly about that. Horror is secondary. Khauf is the embodiment of the everyday horrors of a woman who walks on the streets alone, or after getting off a bus, prays to catch at least one woman around her so she can feel a little safe. The major horror of everyday living is the main story of the show.
In the show, Madhu (Monika Panwar) is fighting with a lot, including being sexually abused in the past. My character, Rima, has this whole patriarchal setup of a family, where they don’t want a girl child. Meanwhile, one of them has her own trauma. Lana (Chum Darang) always gets a different look and lewd comments from men on the street. So, the horror of being a woman in India is what the show is about.
Did you guys, as actors, have the liberty to improvise on the set?
A. Majorly, everything was written, but there have been times when some things were not working out in front of the camera. So, we always used to discuss and shoot that particular scene differently. After that, we used to ask Smita (Singh) if it looked okay to her. I remember it happened with me while I was shooting the mother-daughter scene in the crowded market of Sarojini Nagar. I was walking holding the little girl’s hand, and suddenly a random man came and stood right in front of me. So, I stayed in my character and irritatedly told him to get out of my way. It didn’t make it to the final cut, but that’s how I improvised while filming.
You’ve done many theatre plays, web shows, and films. Theatre demands live energy, while films and web shows allow multiple takes. Which one do you enjoy the most?
A. I wouldn’t choose between theatre and screen as I like to work in both mediums. But basically, I’ve learned everything from theatre. So, I respect it a lot, but I like the screen as well. You mostly work with subtext and articulation in theatre. While it has its aura, there are certain nuances of the characters that only a camera can see, you cannot do that on a live stage. However, theatre teaches you discipline, rigorous training, and getting it right till you don’t get it. On the day of the show, you have to get it right, and if you don’t, then you have to live with it forever. So, you have to rehearse every day and be perfect. I think it’s beautiful. Meanwhile, onscreen, we always have the chance to improvise and ask for multiple takes. Also, the fact I love about the screen is how the camera can penetrate the soul of the character. You could just look behind that character’s eyes, and that’s the beautiful part of the screen.
From working alongside Vidya Balan in Begum Jaan to working in a Vishal Bhardwaj-directed Khufiya to now playing a major role in Khauf. What would you say has been the most defining moment of your career so far?
A. I’m waiting for the defining moment of my career. I haven’t had one yet, and I don’t know when it will come. But I am also not so much worried about it because it’s the journey that counts. I studied BSc, worked as a flight attendant, and came to this industry quite later. Honestly, at this point, I would like my work to speak for me and get me more work rather than sit and wait for a defining moment. If it comes to me, most welcome! But I’ve never thought of it.
Who would you say has been your favourite co-actor till now, and the one you would love to work with again?
A. I would love to work with Vidya Balan again. She’s so beautiful, and always lovely on the set. Shraddha Kapoor has also been so great to work with. Meanwhile, from my latest show, Khauf, Chum Darang, Monika Panwar, and Geetanjali Kulkarni, because they are all so lovely. I have been blessed to have worked with such great co-actors. I would love to work with most of them again.
Apart from playing Rima, which other actor’s character would you have loved to portray in Khauf?
A. Geetanjali Kulkarni. I would have loved to play Madhu (played by Monika Panwar) too, but I loved Geetanjali Kulkarni’s role the most in Khauf. Her character, Ilu Mishra, is breaking stereotypes, and all the credit goes to Smita (Singh) for creating such a beautiful part in the show.
Who are your favourite actors of all time in the industry?
A. My all-time favourites are Irrfan (Khan) Sahab and Om Puri. I also love Pankaj Kapoor and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Meanwhile, I like the work of this boy called Gyanendra Tripathi (Half CA). I have so many favourite actors from the industry that I would love to work with, including Ranbir Kapoor.
What are your upcoming projects after Khauf?
A. I have done a part in a film starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Currently, I cannot disclose much about it because it’s yet to be announced, but I’ve finished the shooting. Meanwhile, I am also working on my theatre projects. I have written a play and I’m about to start working on it. So, these two things are happening at present. I wish more work comes my way this year. I am ready to take on and grab new opportunities.
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Which films and shows would you recommend as must-watch?
A. Paatal Lok 2 and Kohrra are the two must-watch shows on OTT. Bojack Horseman and The Crown on Netflix are my absolute favourites. I recently saw and liked a movie called May-December starring Natalie Portman.