Surabhi Das is poised for one of the biggest leaps of her career. Having built a strong presence on television, she’s now set to feature in Nitesh Tiwari‘s highly-anticipated epic ‘Ramayana’. Das, who relocated from the northeast to Mumbai for her television career, has landed a significant part in the upcoming film, directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
Surabhi Das clarifies her role in ‘Ramayana’
In a conversation with Moneycontrol, Surabhi opened up about landing a role in the big-budget film and set the record straight about her character. Addressing rumours head-on, she confirmed she isn’t playing Urmila. “I am not playing Urmila. I am playing Shrutakirti, the youngest sister of Sita and the wife of Shatrughan,” she said. The actress also admitted feeling overwhelmed on learning she’d been cast in one of India’s most ambitious films to date. “I am super grateful to be a part of ‘Ramayana’, even if it is a small role. When I got the call, I kept wondering whether I had only been shortlisted or whether I had actually been locked for the film. I couldn’t believe it. To be part of a film with such a huge star cast and such a massive scale felt unreal,” she said.
Surabhi Das on the audition journey and her move to films
Das shared that her journey began with an audition for casting director Mukesh Chhabra, though it took nearly two months for the confirmation to arrive, by which time she was already shooting for her show Pandya Brothers. “I went to Mukesh Chhabra and gave an audition. Around two months later, I received a call saying I had been locked. After that there were look tests and costume trials. Slowly it all started sinking in. I couldn’t believe I would be sharing screen space with these legends. It is an amazing feeling and I am grateful to God,” said an ecstatic Surabhi. Despite spending recent years on television, she made clear that her transition to films wasn’t born out of frustration but a genuine desire to grow as an actor. “I won’t call it a struggle. That’s simply the process. We don’t belong to film families where someone can make one phone call and get us work. You have to audition and keep auditioning. Until your projects release, you have to keep reaching out to casting directors whenever there is a suitable role.”Das added that the shift went smoothly, largely because opportunities kept lining up. “I was already doing Nima Denzongpa when I shifted from Assam. After that I did Pandya Store. Then I decided to move away from television, Ramayana happened and now I have two more films lined up. I have been fortunate that I never had a long gap without work,” she said. Among her upcoming projects is a film set against the backdrop of the 1971 war, where she takes on the role of a woman who is both mentally and physically resilient. She also has a part in Vikas Bahl‘s Dil Ka Darwaza Kholna Darling. On why she found films and OTT more appealing than television, Surabhi explained that she was keen to move beyond repetitive character types. “When you are doing television, the female lead is often written in a similar way. I wanted to explore different emotions and different personalities. OTT and films give you that space as an actor. The audience can expect characters they haven’t seen me play before. They will see women who stand up for themselves and others. I am excited because every project is giving me something new,” she said.
Surabhi Das on the difference between regional cinema and Bollywood
Having worked in Assamese cinema and now stepping into a big-ticket Hindi production, Surabhi points to scale as the most striking difference, noting that Bollywood projects come with far greater resources at their disposal. “Budget-wise there is a huge difference. On Ramayana, the sets are massive and there are hundreds of people working every day. Regional films are made with much smaller budgets. In regional films, you often have to manage many things yourself. In Bollywood, there is a team for everything, from costumes to styling. The working style is much more organised. But acting itself doesn’t change. The performance remains the same,” she said.
