New Delhi [India], June 19 : As the clock ticks down to the awaited release of 'Detective Sherdil', actress Diana Penty is filled with excitement and anticipation.
With just a day left before the film hits the OTT platform Zee5, Penty spoke candidly to ANI about her journey through the film, the unique challenges of playing an investigator, and her thoughts on the rising trend of OTT content.
The actress, known for her sophisticated screen presence, admitted to the usual pre-release jitters. "Yes, I'm super excited, and as always, there are butterflies in my stomach the day before any film releases. It's an exciting time," she told ANI.
The film boasts an ensemble cast featuring Diljit Dosanjh, Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah, and others, but it was the camaraderie on set that made a lasting impact on Penty.
"It was one of the most fun sets I've been on," she said, adding, "We were this big group of actors, and everyone got along so well. We were shooting abroad in Budapest, and after our daily fixed working hours, we would explore new restaurants and try local cuisines."
"And since we were shooting out of the country, you know, we had a WhatsApp group, and we would make these plans every day," she said.
According to Penty, the fun and relaxed atmosphere off-camera naturally translated into great on-screen chemistry. "When everyone gets along and is comfortable with each other, it reflects in the work too. It's an advantage and works both ways," she said.
In 'Detective Sherdil', Penty takes on the role of Natasha, a focused and no-nonsense investigator.
When asked about how she chooses her roles, the actress revealed that her character is of utmost importance. "For me, the character is more important than the story sometimes. It's about who you get to play and what you get to do on screen," she explained.
Despite her quirky and fun persona on social media, Penty doesn't consciously choose serious roles. "It's about the script and the character," she said, adding, "If I feel I can bring something unique to the character and the story, then I go for it. The character doesn't need to be similar to who I am in real life, because I'm playing a character, not myself."
While many actors face a long process before committing to a role, Diana Penty's decision to join 'Detective Sherdil' came quickly.
She shared that her respect for the film's director, Ravi Chhabriya, and the unique nature of the project played a significant role in her decision.
"A few things. First of all, because it was an Ali film, like Ali called me for the project and I've always had a lot of respect for him and his work. So, when he called and asked me to read the script, I was like, of course, I would love to," she said.
Penty said she was especially drawn to her character in the film, a sharp, "no-nonsense" detective with a unique challenge in the form of sign language, a skill she had to learn for the role.
"When I read the script, I felt that it was quite a fun, quirky, you know, whodunit modern mystery. I hadn't at that time done something like that before. So, again, it was, you know, just something different for me to do. When I went through the character, you know, she was this no-nonsense detective again and something that I hadn't done before. There was sign language involved, which I thought was interesting for me to do on screen," she said.
The actress explained the role wasn't just about playing a detective; it involved a whole new learning experience. "There was sign language involved... which I thought was interesting for me to do on screen. Also something for me to learn because, you know, I'm not familiar with sign language at all. Now I am, but at that time I wasn't. So, I had to do workshops for that as well. So, it was just, for me, it was a very interesting project to be a part of."
Furthermore, the opportunity to work with a talented ensemble of actors was another major factor.
"What all of us were very happy and excited about was everybody that was cast in this film. There was just such amazing actors, you know. And to be able to work with such lovely people and such great actors. Because people are so good at what they do," she said, adding, "Just to be in a film with Boman sir, Ratna ma'am, Sumit, Vanita, you know, Diljit, of course... The writing was on the wall. You can't say no to a film like that."
As more actors participate in OTT projects, the difference between working on films for the big screen and for digital platforms has become an area of interest.
Diana Penty, who is no stranger to both formats, discussed the unique aspects of working on an OTT series, particularly 'Detective Sherdil', which is set to release on Zee5.
"There is definitely a difference because the formats are different," she said, explaining that the length and depth of OTT projects offer more opportunities for character exploration.
"In an OTT format, at least a web series, is a much longer format, right, from a film. Which means there is more of an opportunity to get into depth, into the depth of the storytelling and, you know, into the depth of your character because you have that much more leeway and opportunity to play that on screen," she said.
In contrast, she pointed out that in films, the storytelling is more concise and pre-decided, leaving less room for such flexibility.
"Whereas in a film, it's more concise and you have to stick to the script, stick to what's written and, you know, you pre-decide the scenes and then you go into it and you start shooting," she said.
Penty's comments suggest that while both formats have their own unique challenges, OTT platforms offer actors a different kind of creative space.
"So, there's a lot more for you to do as an actor in a longer format, I feel, personally. But, of course, I've not done enough OTT to be able to answer your question with surety, but this is, given my first, like, OTT debut series that I just did, this was what I felt, that there's a lot more scope as an actor in OTT in the longer formats," she added.
'Detective Sherdil' is an upcoming murder mystery set to release on Zee5 on June 20. The film's plot revolves around a flamboyant billionaire tycoon (Boman Irani) who is found brutally murdered in Budapest.
Diljit Dosanjh stars as the unorthodox detective Sherdil, tasked with solving the crime. Penty plays Natasha, a brilliant investigator who assists him in unravelling the complex case filled with family secrets and dangerous motives.
As the investigation unfolds, twists and turns make the case even more unpredictable.