‘My eyes welled up’: Why Nagraj Manjule made 'Sairat' actress Geeta Chavan cry, stripped away her makeup on set - Exclusive

Geeta Chavan, who played Rinku Rajguru’s mother in the film ‘Sairat’, shared her experience working with the famous director Nagraj Manjule. The actress revealed the challenges she faced while portraying her character and a moment when the team got tense on the set. Geeta also shared how she landed the project and the reason why the filmmaker asked her to reduce the makeup.In an exclusive Interview with ETimes, Chavan revealed how she landed in the project and said, “Sairat has been an important milestone in my career. I got the opportunity to be a part of the film through the auditions. The casting team auditioned many actors, and during my audition, they felt that my simplicity, natural performance, and connection with the rural backdrop suited the character. Later, director Nagraj Manjule trusted me with the role and gave me the opportunity to be part of this remarkable film. Being associated with a realistic and socially relevant film like ‘Sairat’ was not just a job for me, but a valuable learning experience. The film helped me grow as an actor and brought me immense love and recognition from the audience.”Sharing the challenges during the shoot, she shared, “This experience from the shoot is still deeply etched in my mind. After my makeup was done, I happily went to show it to sir. He calmly said, “Reduce it a little.” I went back to the makeup artist, reduced it slightly, and showed it to him again. But sir still said, “Reduce it more.” At that moment, my eyes welled up and my heart felt very heavy. Almost all the makeup had been removed, and thoughts kept running through my mind—I’m working in such a big film, and there’s hardly any makeup at all. I became extremely nervous. But through this, I truly understood sir’s work ethic and his sharp eye for detail. Whether it was the look, expressions, or simplicity, he never compromised, because every element had to stay honest and true to the character.”“When the film was released and the audience showered love on my look and performance, I realized how right his decision was. I was truly on cloud nine then and even today, those memories fill me with the same pride and satisfaction. He has a very clear vision and a deep understanding of storytelling, which reflects in every frame. What I admired the most was his ability to bring out natural and honest performances from actors while keeping the environment comfortable and focused. He encourages improvisation, pays great attention to detail, and treats every artist with respect. Being guided by a director of his calibre helped me grow both personally and professionally, and it has had a lasting impact on my approach towards acting”, she further added.Chavan also shared a memorable moment from the set, “I still remember very clearly how everyone was a little scared of Nagraj sir. Not out of fear, but because he wanted every detail in a scene to be just right. Even the smallest thing missing would bother him. Once, Mithun sir shared an incident with me. There was a scene being shot on a boat during the daytime on the river. Suddenly, sir asked, “Where is the chappu?” No one could immediately respond, and everyone got tense, wondering what exactly he was referring to. Chappu means the paddles used to row the boat. Everyone then started searching hurriedly and finally managed to find and bring the paddles. That moment showed how deeply sir thinks about every detail. It reflects his sharp observation and the seriousness with which he approaches every scene, no matter how small the detail is”.Sairat is a Marathi film about a young couple, Archi and Parshya, who fall in love despite coming from different castes. Their love story starts sweetly but faces harsh opposition from society and family.