Actress Jonita Doda opens up about her character in ‘Salmon 3D’

Having known for her work in Hindi, Punjabi and south films, Actress Jonita Doda will be next seen as the female lead opposite Vijay Yesudas in ‘Salmon 3D’ directed by Shalil Kallur, which releases in eight languages on June 30. Jonita has previously garnered accolades for her role in Madhur Bhandarkar’s short film Mumbai Mist and her venture Chandigarh Fashion Week as an entrepreneur.

The actress spills the beans about how she perceived her character in Salmon 3D, challenges of learning the language and her first break.

Jonita shares, “Portraying a character like Sameera, who is totally different from my own persona, presented a unique challenge. As an actor, I draw upon personal experiences and emotional memories to bring authenticity to my roles if we have something in common. However, with Sameera, I didn’t have any emotional memory of my own to rely on. This required me to fully immerse myself in Sameera’s mind and mannerisms, leaving behind my own identity and embracing hers. It brought a certain amount of thrill and excitement, as I had the opportunity to delve into a character so distinct and detached from my own reality. I focused on understanding the underlying shades of Sameera’s personality. This involved diving into the complexities of her character, exploring her motivations, desires, and inner conflicts.”

Talking about the challenges of learning Tamil for the film she tells, “Learning a new language for a film project can certainly present its challenges. In my case, I made an effort to learn the basics of the Tamil language, in order to better understand the local slang and dialect. While I am not yet fluent, I can confidently say that language has not been a barrier in my journey. We shot in Tamil so I did my homework.”

Sharing about her experience working in south industry she mentions, “My working experience in the South industry has been quite remarkable. One notable aspect that sets it apart is the emphasis on discipline. Productions in the South industry tend to start early and adhere to strict timelines, ensuring efficient work schedules. There is also a strong focus on well-crafted scripts. Also what I love working about in south industry is, that they experiment a lot with different script genres and as an actor that is a very satisfying feeling.”

Recalling about her experience working in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Mumbai Mist she says, “Having known Madhur for some time and him being familiar with my work played a significant role. I received a call from his office to meet him, and during the meeting, he offered me the part, which I gladly accepted. It was a thrilling moment for me to have the opportunity to work with such a renowned filmmaker, and I eagerly embraced the opportunity to be a part of his project.The film opened to a standing ovation at the BRICKS international film festival, as an actor, such moments of appreciation and recognition are incredibly fulfilling and affirming.”