Pallavi Sharda: There was an attempt to Bollywoodise me, but I resisted it

Your beginning in Bollywood was rather bumpy. It hasn't been an easy ride for you. Do you think 'Begum Jaan' will change the course of your career in Bollywood?

I didn't see it in that manner when I signed the film because I was working overseas when Srijit contacted me. I had an interesting kitty of indie and non-indie films, but there was something special about 'Begum Jaan'. It's only after seeing the trailer that I realised that it is larger than life. It is very rare to see something transcending the script on screen. And that for me, is a fulfilling experience.

The film conveys a strong message...

It is about dignity, which women don't assert, fearing backlash from patriarchy. When you say 'my rules' in the context of India, patriarchy comes in — whose rules are they? It is a complex matter. I am still trying to understand how the conversation on self-determination can be taken forward. But I think aspiration is a great word and that's what women in this film stand for. Many young women who hail from less fortunate backgrounds don't have aspiration and that makes me sad.

Does the movie reiterate the idea that in reality, there is no country for women? They are marginalised everywhere...

We have had a male-dominated government and bureaucracy for the longest time and it's still a reality. Somebody recently asked me, 'Is feminism an overused word?' I said, 'We have the responsibility of keeping the flag flying high even if the word is taken out of context at times; we cannot be complacent'. Women's liberation started in the 1920s, which means we are only a hundred years into fighting for our right to equality. So for me, it highlights something which was and is still a reality.