‘This is my first international award'

doweshowbellyad=0; Lilette Dubey. (TOI Photo) How significant is winning the Best Actress Award at FilmaMadrid at this stage in your career?
I always knew that Anjan (Dutt) was very passionate about Bow Barracks Forever. He wanted to fly down to Mumbai to narrate the script to me himself. It���s very seductive for an actor to have such a persuasive director.After Monsoon Wedding, BBF has been one of my most enjoyable films. I was moved by the script. Incidentally, this is my first international award. It���s a vindication of my belief in this film. Even Pritish Nandy had shared my belief and had wanted to release the film immediately after watching it. If an international jury thought my performance was good, they couldn���t have given it unless they thought that the film was good too.
Why weren���t you personally present to accept the award?
I never knew that I���d be receiving this award. I was at a play rehearsal in Pune when I got a call. Instead of hearing an award from FilmaMadrid, I heard something like Madrasa or Madras. It was only after Anjan called me up that I got it right. They had announced the award on the closing
ceremony and there was simply no way I could fly to Madrid on a day���s notice.
Does an international award add extra value to your performance?
No. I���d be very happy to get an award in India. For me, an international award is an affirmation of the fact that my work has transcended borders. When I first did Dance Like a Man, people said it was a landmark project in India. Then, I took it to New York. New York Times gave it a fantastic review. I felt that my play was working in a context outside India. We are connecting with the global audience. This award reaffirms my faith in the fact that BBF has explored themes that touch the global reach.
Does it now hurt that BBF���s content was a lot misunderstood by many in the community that it had depicted?
BBF was representing only a slice of life of a certain section of a community. It explores so many universal themes ��� love, loss,
loneliness, longing, displacement, alienation, nostalgia. Concentrating only on the Anglo-Indian bit would be having a very narrow vision. It���s like saying Dance Like a Man is only about Bharatnatyam.
How familiar are you with Spanish cinema?
I like Almadovar���s films. I think Talk to Her is, by far, his best work. Volver, in comparison, wouldn���t be in the same league. Recently, I watched The Sea Inside by Alejandro Amenabar. It is based on the real-life story of a Spanish ship mechanic left quadriplegic. He fought a 28-year campaign in support of euthanasia and got his right to end his own life.
How do you compare the future of English plays with that of English films in this country?
English theatre has an audience that is there and still growing. There is a distinct Indian English voice. English films, in contrast, still have a very limited audience. But, there is a huge captive audience for such films. Perhaps, we are yet to find the right combination of themes that connect with a large audience base.
You���d once gone on record saying that you think you are over-qualified for television. Considering that formatting of television programmes has changed so much, do you still believe in that?
I was completely misquoted in that interview. I had said that I was giving too much time to a medium where I wasn���t growing. The possibilities of television are being explored abroad. Now, Indian television is only about reality shows. I quit television 10 years ago and these days, I don���t watch any Indian serials. Siddharth Basu, who is an old friend of mine, had asked me to participate in Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. Initially, I had laughed over the idea. Later, I just wanted to try it but couldn���t because I had other commitments.
Imdb mentions that you are the mother of Neha Dubey. Does such an introduction flatter you?
I love to hear that. Neha has taken a sabbatical and is now in London for her Masters in psychotherapy. She is free to choose her career and can do films as and when she wants to.
What about your future projects?
I���ve Pankh, Saas Bahu Aur Sensex. Seven, Ravi Chopra���s film and Ramgopal Varma���s Phoonk. I���ve also done a cameo in Har Pal and I am 24. And finally, there is Bollywood Beats made by an Indian-American director.