Sanya Malhotra on why working with Anurag Basu was a different experience

MUMBAI: Actress Sanya Malhotra has spoken about why working with filmmaker Anurag Basu was an unusual experience. For the first time, Sanya recalled, she was working without a script.

Sanya is part of the ensemble cast of Basu's upcoming dark comedy anthology "Ludo".

"I was approached by him almost two years back for this film and the character. He explained the gist of the story and when I asked him about the script, he simply laughed it out. He said, 'let's go on set and decide'. We did a meeting before the shoot. Dada explained to me what is going to happen to my character in the script, again in a gist," Sanya recalled.

As an actor, Sanya says she has a habit of doing her homework before entering the set.

"I always read my script very religiously before stepping in front of the camera with my character. For the first time, I couldn't believe that I have to work without the script. Before my first day on the set, I had no idea what was supposed to be shot, and how to go about with it!" she said.

However, she was quite relaxed. "I got ready with the costumes sent to me, and went on the set as a blank slate."

Sanya took this challenge as a gift for her craft. "Before that, I used to pester Dada to at least have some workshops before the shoot, which he would simply not pay any heed to. He just asked me not to think too much about it."

Things were different on the set, she says. "The first day on set was so refreshing for me as an actor, it was something new for me. I had never experienced this before -- with my previous films, be it 'Dangal', or any other film. This process was very much new and extremely refreshing for me, to go on sets without script or preparation. I was so happy to see how Dada works, it is fun and it is a collaborative experience".

Sanya will also be seen in Guneet Monga's "Pagglait", and "Love Hostel" opposite Vikrant Massey.