Ahead of the release of Rashmi Rocket on Zee5, actors Abhishek Banerjee and Priyanshu Painyuli recently joined NewsX for an insightful chat as part of NewsX India A-List. In an exclusive conversation with NewsX, Abhishek and Priyanshu spoke about their upcoming film ‘Rashmi Rocket’, what made them come on board and their take on gender testing in sports.
Speaking about playing Taapsee’s love interest in the film and what attracted him to the film, Priyanshu said, “A couple of things. The premise is very different. It is about gender testing, the story, the way it is written and not making it a very serious drama, building it on relationships and grounds. Building it more emotionally, showing a story for a girl who is very strong-headed but still falls down how and then she rises again and fights for her rights against the system. The basic storyline is very exciting and I definitely thought that this should come out and people should be aware of gender testing. I wasn’t aware when I got to know about it. Secondly, the love interest of Taapsee Pannu, I was like ‘oh wow, why not?’. I was excited because I have always admired her work as an actor and been excited to see whenever she comes across on the screen, the kind of choices she’s made but mainly also because of Akarsh Khurana. He is a very old friend. I love him. The way he works, his way of looking at things as a director, I don’t think I can say no to him ever. The kind of people that were involved, you knew that this is going to be a special film. It was a beautiful concept and me getting to play an army officer, I was always waiting to play that since I am from an Army background. All the boxes were ticked.”
Abhishek, who will be seen playing a lawyer in ‘Rashmi Rocket’, said, “I was very happy that someone offered me a white-collar job and I was a part of a story, which was much needed in today’s time and age. We can’t really have these kinds of laws here, which restrict our sportsmen. There is already so much that restricts them. Even the system, if they try to talk, then that’s a failed system. To fight against that, to fight for the rights of a sportsman who is wrong, that was a big motivation. The funny part is that I didn’t have any idea about this. I had no idea about this gender test until and unless I read the script.”
He added, “The first time I read the script, I was confused. I did not know whether it is a fictional cause, which they are fighting or if it is real or if it is based on somebody’s life. I didn’t have any clue. I realised that they have fictionalised the entire story but the irrelevant law is the reality. Not only with regards to our country but internationally, so it just amused me that we can still have laws which are made a hundred or eighty years back. Those days, it was made for a different reason and now with technology, we can move ahead with it. At least, not bound our own athletes, our own sportsmen with it. “