'Rejection teaches you a lot of endurance, self-trust, and the ability to show up again.'
Soft-spoken but assertively talented, Sonal Madhushankar has expressive eyes which convey warmth, steely conviction and world-weary fatigue in her breakthrough acting venture, Humans In The Loop.
Humans In The Loop focusses on a single mother from the Oraon tribe, who balances training AI systems and reconnecting with her roots, while her daughter struggles to accept their new life away from the city.
After its American theatrical release, the film, which is currently streaming on Netflix, has officially entered the Oscar race in the Best Original Screenplay category.
"After our premiere at MAMI 2024, I was approached by single mothers, working women, people from Jharkhand, and even members of indigenous communities, all saying they saw themselves in my character, Nehma," Sonal tells Dinesh Raheja.
For a newbie actress, the reaction to Humans in the Loop must be life-changing?
For any actor who comes to Mumbai with a dream, this is the moment you secretly hope for.
The response has been surreal.
After our premiere at MAMI 2024, I was approached by single mothers, working women, people from Jharkhand, and even members of indigenous communities, all saying they saw themselves in my character, Nehma.
Some genuinely thought I belonged to their community.
Now the film has officially qualified to contend at the Oscars in the Best Original Screenplay category. That elevation from intimate screenings to an international stage feels deeply humbling and thrilling.
What is your back story, personal and professional, before Humans in the Loop?
My journey has been very real and very grounding.
My husband, Rahul Patil, who works in IT and is also a playwright, wrote a one-hour-40-minute play, The Last Audience where I was on stage throughout. During rehearsals, a friend saw my performance and said, 'We should recommend Sonal to Aranya.'
Aranya (Sahay, director) had been searching for Nehma for a long time, so I sent a reference audition in black, white, and grey.
They loved it, sent me the script, and I went through multiple audition rounds. That's how the film came to me.
Before this, life was a mix of IT work, theatre, workshops, and the emotional and financial realities of the industry.
Rejection teaches you a lot of endurance, self-trust, and the ability to show up again.
What do you think helped you ace the auditions?
There were rounds focusing on silence, on stillness, on emotional presence.
Somewhere during that process, something aligned, and I stopped 'performing' and simply existed as Nehma. That's what got me the film.
Who helped you get the look right? Were you makeup-free?
Aranya and I built Nehma's look together.
When I travelled to Ranchi, I realised the women there live so simply, no makeup, no artifice. I'm very comfortable with or without makeup. I'm not afraid of the camera or my face.
If I start worrying 'Will this profile look nice?' then I will lose access to the emotional truth.
So, the look was intentionally raw.
If makeup served the character, I would have worn it.
Nehma didn't need it.
What research did you do for the character?
During auditions, Aranya and I spoke extensively about the Oraon community, discrimination, caste, AI, and machine learning.
Since I'm an engineer who has worked with machine learning, those conversations helped build the mental world of the character.
Before the shoot, he asked me to come to Ranchi one week early.
I walked through the forests, observed gestures, breathing patterns, and accents.
I interacted with women from the community, listened to their stories.
A woman named Tarini, who lived in the house where we shot, touched me deeply.
I didn't 'interview' her. I just sat beside her. Sometimes presence is more powerful than questions.
Did you feel a certain sisterhood with your character?
I am Dalit. Nehma belongs to an indigenous, marginalised community.
We both come from places where silence, hesitation, and caution are part of identity.
We're strong, empowered women, but caste brings a very specific layer of vulnerability.
Understanding that helped me find her emotional truth.
How did director Aranya Sahay help your performance?
There was one moment when I didn't know how to give a shot so I was sitting quietly. Aranya came, sat quietly next to me, and after a while, shared a very personal childhood memory.
That trust changed everything.
Despite tough conditions like the jungle, children, animals and crew logistics, he was calm. His vision, dedication, and empathy taught me a lot.
Working with him felt safe.
Yours is an impactful, nuanced performance, particularly in the scene where you are reprimand by a senior. Do you use any acting techniques?
The reprimand scene is one of my favourites.
Humans are driven by fear.
We choose when to speak and when to be silent.
In that moment, Nehma wants to defend herself, but she knows she cannot risk her job, her family depends on it.
I related to that instantly.
I've faced similar situations in IT and while auditioning.
Remembering those emotions helped me access the performance.
As for technique, I've trained across forms: clowning, shadow acting, theatre, breathing work, and workshops with multiple facilitators.
By the time you're on set, the craft is inside the body.
Is this the kind of cinema you want to do?
Yes. This kind of deeply human, socially aware cinema is something I truly connect with.
I am also open to commercial work as long as the character has honesty.
For me, a good story is a good story, regardless of scale.
Do you have an acting idol?
'Idol' is a strong word, but I deeply admire Irrfan Khan. I relate to his silences, and that unpredictability he carried in his performances.
Do you think Humans will make it easier for you to get more work?
Yes. But beyond that, this film made me aware of my responsibility as an artiste.
If I continue to stay empathetic, keep my craft alive, and remain available to people and stories, I believe good work will keep coming.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
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