From being a banker to making it to the entertainment industry, Namita Lal is here to stay

Tell us about your background.

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I was a banker for almost 20 years. When I quit, I was the managing director of a big global business, running all of the corporate banking business verticals in 2019.

Which was your first break?

I used to always be on stage during school days and I enjoyed it thoroughly. St. Stephens in Delhi had a big theatre culture and I was a part of the Shakespeare Hindi and English society. I did a play at Kamani Auditorium which was a part of Hindi society called Badi Buaji. I played the lead. It was directed by Veerendra Saxena and I just loved doing that.

What was your role in the feature film Lihaaf?

Lihaaf is a first-person iconic story of Ismat Chugtai, who wrote about her experience of her same-sex relationship in the 1920s. I performed the play in Singapore which still bans same-sex relationships. The story is a celebration of womanhood and sexual choices.

Does being a well-read person help you act better?

Reading actually helps in many ways. I disappear into the characters in the books that I read. The depth of understanding the character comes through the words first and then how you portray it in front of the camera or on stage is just an expression of your understanding of a particular writing.

Tell us about your stints in theatre.

I did about 12 productions in Hindi Theatre festivals Dastak in Singapore, Kala Ghoda Art Festival Mumbai and Oxford University London. Theatre is a wonderful training ground for actors. It’s important because you appear on stage as the character in a specific moment in his/her life.

Do you feel theatre is losing its relevance?

Yes, it’s really sad as theatre is one of the best and biggest of the creative industries. I was also rehearsing for a play and ultimately it had to be filmed as there was another lockdown. Theatre is an industry of crazy passionate people who love being on and around a stage. Now that the situation is normalising, people will come back to the theatre.

What is your idea of exploring life?

I attended the Jaipur Literary Festival and over there, on an impulse I said yes to an idea as this year is a year of saying yes. I bought a book by a famous writer called Huma Abedin, who, on the stage, said the exact thing of this year being a year of saying yes. That’s my idea of exploring life. Just say yes and go for it!

What are your future plans?

Now, I have relocated to Mumbai from Singapore and my plans are to invest myself in the world of cinema and theatre, direction, writing, and acting. I do want to audition for strong female roles in web series, commercial cinema, independent cinema and short films.