Actress Sarita Choudhury Discusses Her New Film ‘EVIL EYE’

Thespian actress Sarita Choudhury takes the lead in this rom-com meets psychological thriller meets horror – EVIL EYE – launching on Prime Video on October 13th. On behalf of Anokhi Life, I had the chance to catch up with Sarita – (one of her favourites, because “this versatile artist truly picks roles for their breadth”) – about what excited her about wanting to do the film. The film is executive produced by Priyanka Chopra & Blumhouse.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE!

Sarita Choudhury, you have no idea how awesome it is to have the opportunity to chat with you. I have been following you since Mississippi Masala. It’s just incredible to have the opportunity to come full circle with you.

Thank you

Absolutely, I want to first begin by just saying what an interesting movie for you to pick, Evil Eye, you have been on TV and movies and played so many different types of roles. I’m so interested to know why you felt the role of Usha was something that you really wanted to sink your teeth into.

I know, right? When the directors came to me, I literally said to them ‘why did you want me to play?’ This doesn’t make a natural fit, in my head. Then, I read the script and I thought ‘Oh my god, this woman goes on such a psychological journey’, and I didn’t even really see it as a horror genre film. I was just thinking of this woman and I thought if there’s some way I can play a woman who a normal woman in India would relate to.

And I wasn’t trying to actually do it because I was like I’m so different from this character. But it was this weird challenge in my head and the fact the directors were like ‘no, but we need it to be believable, we really want you to play it’. I was thinking, ‘oh, my God, I can’t believe anyone would think of me for this role.’ But they kept talking to me about it and I thought, ‘you know what? This is real acting and I need to do it’. That’s the leap I made.

It’s really interesting, Sarita, because when you played this role, you were so authentic in the authenticity of being an Indian mom. I felt like I was talking to my mom. Really. It was just so well done and knowing your journey and who you are, I knew that this was a very, very different role for me. So, I wanted to ask you, being South Asian, the cultural aspects of what was happening, the dynamics between the mom and the daughter.

We know that this is very multilayered when it comes to the South Asian culture. Especially, in terms of expectations which can have a heavy, heavy sense of not feeling like you’re doing enough. Be you the mother or be you the daughter. So, this happens between Usha and her daughter Pallavi throughout the film. I’d love your take on why you felt showing that dynamic between South Asian mom and daughter who lives in North America was important to the overall theme of what was happening with the film.

Well, first of all, that whole theme is attractive to me because I think when I did Mississippi Masala, people just thought I was this like rebel who could do a movie like that and what they didn’t realize was that I also came from a family that I would get in trouble for doing a movie like that. So, when you do something that you want to do, you don’t go to bed feeling like, ‘oh yay’. You’re like ‘I hope I don’t get in trouble.’ I feel like a lot of the most rebellious things I did, I went to bad thinking I hope my dad will be happy. We’re very conservative within the rebellion because we’re brought up that way and I can’t shake that.

So, this theme in the movie, I know it so well and it’s almost like a gift. I wanted to show what happens between a mother and daughter, it’s not like a mother doesn’t get it. She’s trapped in her own cultural needs. She also has a back story she can’t share. So, she’s just be super protective under the guise of a cultural thing but it’s actually psychological and I loved the idea that by the end, they’re stripped to these things but what’s left is more love and trust and a stronger bond. I thought this is the kind of life I would want for anyone, you know? Not in this horror genre but definitely coming out with the truth to your daughter and setting her free in a weird way. A lot of moms don’t tell their daughters what they did. It’s almost like you’re not allowed to talk about your sexual past with your daughter.

And that you even had one.

You did not have one. Yes. Exactly.

Absolutely, I feel that the whole concept behind the religious components and how the mother really holds on to this whole notion of everything has a purpose in life. I felt that strongly with the mom that everything that was happening was happening for a reason. The relationship between karma and dharma and the evil eye is there for a very, very strong reason. For those who are uninitiated around that idea of the evil eye which is something that’s been around as long as recorded history. Can you shed some light on why that was the fundamental theme that kind of kept this film moving and unravelling as it did?

That’s a really good question. I think the answer is, say you took that element out, it could’ve been just a psychological drama, but I think when you’re dealing psychological trauma, you need to have something psychical that gives you an excuse for your behaviour. I think instead of the mother saying, ‘I don’t trust men, I need to choose a man for you’, she goes to an astrologist, she makes the daughter wear the evil eye bracelet. It’s almost used so she doesn’t have to tell her truth and superstitious beliefs become her way of saying, ‘oh, no , no, you’ll get in trouble if you don’t do this’.

But the real truth is she had an experience that doesn’t want her daughter to have and tied in with that is the evil eye will ward off that happening. Also not telling her daughter the truth is why it’s happening. So, I feel that the evil eye is kind of the representation of general India like we’re using something that every person will understand instead of what the real theme is which is past sexual trauma and mixed in reincarnation and how that’s not passed on to your daughter and how you teach your daughter to be strong enough not to have that in her life.

You know it’s interesting that you say that, Sarita because, I feel that is the fundamental relationship that is between that one generation and the other. The one generation that did everything that they could to hide who they shouldn’t be even if they’ve experienced it and the generation that does everything in their power to experience all those things that they’re not supposed to experience. I got that true juxtaposition between the mother and the daughter. Tell me your thoughts on that.

You said that so well that I can’t even add to it. That’s so interesting. Also, what’s bizarre for me is when I saw the movie, because I’m in it it’s hard to look at it objectively. Usually there is an unevenness when you do generational stories, the mother is the one who is over-protective, and the daughter is finding freedom.

The fact that they’re both trying to find freedom but they can’t separate from each other is very moving to me because in the daughter ignoring the mother, she’s not even listening to her own instincts and running towards the guy that you sense ‘wait a minute does she love him or not?’. She’s so busy shutting out her mother. That really is interesting because it makes me realize, what in our rebellion against our generation before us what have we lost that they were supposed to give us. In our freedom, we may need a few of those things.

That’s fascinating. It begs so many more discussions. It kind of brings me to this other theme that’s going on that’s really strong was the whole idea behind reincarnation and magic. And how within the South Asian culture, these are prevalent, known things but in western ideology especially since western ideology in the last hundred years really kind of controlled the mandate of what you were and were not allowed to do in the world.

I don’t know if you believe in this stuff but this kind of transitional shift that we’re going through especially this year, we’re going from the Piscian age to the age of Aquarius which is lifting the veil so that we can live our true selves. I feel that really is powerful in what’s happening in this film. I feel there couldn’t have been a better time in history than this year for this film to come where people are looking for alternative answers than your normal western ideology can give you. People are looking at energy and psychic phenomena. They’re looking at astrology and they’re looking at magic and reincarnation it’s more palatable now than it’s ever been.

Yes. That’s such a good point because from what you’re saying like if there was ten years ago, it would’ve been treated as ‘oh, that’s Indian custom, oh that’s what the mother is doing’. But now, it’s something that a lot of people are leaning and fully wanting to understand. When I was with the astrologer in the scene, I remember thinking that I wanted this to be super practical. This cannot be played like ‘oh, I’m being the annoying the mother who ‘believes’ in this.’ No. I want to know this, this and this. That’s it. Because a lot of friends are like that. Who live in New York. So, I never thought of it the way you just said it though. It almost seems that ten years would’ve been considered mythology. It’s actually a very normal way of living right now.

Absolutely, if you think about it Sarita, especially in the last hundred years. I’m a huge history buff and culture buff and one thing that I’ve found so fascinating is how much of our identity as humans has been lost because we haven’t looked at all of the evidence that’s in front of us. Be it the science, be it the psychological stuff, be it the spiritual stuff, be it energy, be it the sign of astrology.

Now just think if this age of Aquarius is divine feminine space we’re coming into where finally women are getting their right to be heard and seen and on their own terms. I feel that a film like this which is so predominately about the female relationship, I mean the men are kind of there for a purpose to fulfill the role that this relationship between these two women. That’s kind of the feeling I got. Tell me your thoughts on that. I feel that you get what I’m saying.

I totally get it. The men are used as part of the story that the women are trying to share with each other. Which never happens. I remember again when they asked me to do this and there were so many reasons I was like this is not the right fit but all these thoughts we’ve just been talking about, you could see them in a script and you thought ‘how are all these things in one script?’ and ‘wait a minute, it’s two women we’re talking about.’ Sunita said something interesting she said a story that is horrifying because of the abuse is put in the context of a horror movie. When you think of female like it’s an interesting trick almost to make it a horror movie when even without it being a horror movie its horrifying.

Absolutely. I totally hear you. I know that I have to wrap up even though I can speak to you for hours on this.

Aww you’re so lovely. I’m going to look up more of what you saying about the age of Aquarius and all that because that’s so interesting.

Totally. It’ll make sense to you. There are so many things about that. Even though women have been trying to be heard, they’re being heard now. Why is that? There’s a reason. With that said my lovely, lovely lady who I admire and respect.

Thank you so much for taking on this role which was a very different kind of role than I would expect someone like you to do because you always do those roles that are more risqué. I feel that you did that here too. You made us really think about what does it mean to be a woman, a mother, a parent, a daughter, a lover. All of these things really beautifully came out.

Thank you. For me in a way it was the most risqué I’ve done because it just wasn’t familiar to me and I was like let’s see. But thank you for getting it.

Absolutely Sarita and I know I’ve got to let you go but one final thing, why should people watch this film?

I think people should watch this film because what you just said. They’re going to find out something about themselves and they’re going to have so much fun because they’re going to be watching it like a thriller but then after they’re going to be like wait a minute and realize what it was really about.

I thought it was a Rom-Com to be honest.

Yes. We tried to do that in the beginning.

Thank you so much for your time. I hope people watch this October the 13th on Amazon Prime. Thank you Sarita. I look forward to the next time we have the opportunity to talk.

Me too. Thanks Raj. Bye.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!