Reba Monica John Interview: Multilingual actor Reba Monica John has always been a fan of powerful women characters, so getting to play them on screen is always high for her. In her upcoming film, Rathnan Parpancha too, she plays the role of Mayuri, a journalist struggling to be heard.
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"I am extremely proud and happy to say that my character in this film is as important as the male protagonist. As the title says it is Rathna's world, but Mayuri is equally important in Rathna's world," says Reba Monica John, in an interview with SheThePeople. The film Rathnan Prapancha is going to release on October 22 on the streaming platform, Amazon Prime Video.
While waiting for reviews, she takes a moment to look back to the time when she became part of this Kannada project directed by Rohit Padaki. She first saw the poster of the film while scrolling on Instagram and it managed to raise curiosity in her mind, little did she know that she would be called in for narration by the film's team.
"I started interacting with the team and got a narration. Immediately I developed interest because the director is a good storyteller. The first thing that draws you to the script is the way it is narrated. After that, I was convinced and wanted to be part of it. Then the director showed me the poster and I was like hey, this is the poster that I was really intrigued by and I laughed. Maybe it was meant to be maybe," she says.
Her character in the film, Mayuri, is a journalist by profession. Although the character is not shown dealing with misogyny in the profession, the film has a space where the character is trying to "get a break".
"Getting a break is not easy, sometimes we (women) need to go an extra mile to prove a point, whichever profession we are in. As a journalist, my character is extremely motivated and focused on trying to get something, to prove a point that she is a capable journalist and is capable of handling big stories," Reba says.
A still from the film, Rathnan Prapancha.
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For Reba, as an actor, it is very important to find similarities with the characters she portrays on screen. For example, she has limited similarities with the journalist character, so she got hooked on the character's intent to prove a point and her emotional intelligence. Then, she tries to understand what else can be added in order to accentuate a character. It can be done mainly through experiences and getting to know her character in-depth.
"My initial go to as an actor is to go very subtle in a character and that is how I always do it. Again it depends on the role, this character is someone who tries to make a point, is loud, is a journalist and is all over the place, she is a little dramatic here to lift up, but not overdramatic. It is tricky but depends on the character and how it needs to be portrayed. For example, Mayuri is a little hyperactive. Wherein I in real life am not super hyperactive so I had to be a little dramatic there, that is how I tried it," says Reba, who has worked in films of Tamil, Malayalam and now Kannada language.
According to Reba, equality and feminism are misrepresented (in public space). However, things are changing, especially in the entertainment industry.
"Women are doing fantastically well and they do not need a male counterpart to carry the film. Women are carrying films on their shoulders. Now people are understanding what it means, especially in cinema," she says, giving an example of her character Anitha in Tamil film Bigil, who is a sportswoman. According to Reba, it is a female-centric film, as it sees her character being beaten and broken, both emotionally and physically. The film is about Anita's journey to overcome these challenges and living her dream of aspiring to be a football player.
Reba says that these characters are extremely empowering because no matter how many times we say that women are empowered, there are many places where people still do not understand. Women are not given opportunities.
Women are not just surviving but thriving in the film industry: Reba Monica John
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"These characters will subconsciously make people (viewers) think about women rights. When these scenes or characters make space in big films with their favourite hero or stars, they will understand it more. I was able to play that and a lot of people appreciated me for that and said how it changed their lives. So, with these kinds of characters, one will feel satisfied playing. That is what I mean when I say that I want the characters to portray women strong and independent," opines Reba.
She also feels that many new opportunities are available for women today. She remembers a time when not many women could be seen doing directions, photography etc., which were considered to be jobs for men.
"Women are not just 'doing it, they are doing it extremely well and succeeding, for example director Anjali Menon and all of these women who are killing it in cinema and other fields. I think more women in cinema make a huge change and difference," says Reba.
On how this has changed the overall work culture in cinema, she says, "Women as incapable sort of thought process is changing. Even if in some sets women are not around, even men are making a comfortable ambience for women, these days, off-late. I think things are changing and this is what I have seen in the film industry. With regards to certain projects that I am working on."
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A still from the film, Rathnan Prapancha.