Impressed myself with my footage: Puja Chery

The Puja Chery starrer film "Lipstick" is scheduled to be wrapping up on Saturday after almost seven months of filming. The movie was reportedly filmed in three phases across several locations in the country, including Dhaka and Manikganj. Notably, Puja Chery takes on the mantle of two leading roles in it — one as a rural girl known as Buchi and the other as a Dhallywood heroine named Madhuri.

When questioned about portraying two distinct characters, Puja remarked, "I'm not accustomed to portraying a girl from the rural area, but staying in the village during filming made it somewhat easier to embody the character. Interestingly, when I wore the attire and makeup of the village girl, I could understand why I felt like one. Everyone on the set would comment, 'You're the perfect village girl!' As for the role of the heroine, it wasn't challenging for me. Acting is my profession."

This project marks Puja's first experience portraying two contrasting roles, at the same time. Reflecting on this, she commented, "It was quite a challenging endeavour for me. On one hand, I portrayed a rural teenager, while on the other, I embodied a renowned movie heroine. Both characters demanded a significant shift in persona. I attempted to deliver my best performance and aimed to render the two characters distinct from each other, ensuring that audiences could discern the contrast while watching in the theatre."

Puja fondly recounted a humorous incident from the filming of the village girl character. The actress shared that one day, they were shooting scenes while crossing the river on a boat, alongside regular commuters. She elaborated, "Due to my costume and makeup, the locals couldn't recognise me on the boat. One female passenger, upon seeing the filming camera, inquired about the actress. A crew member pointed me out to her. The woman remarked, 'Oh, you could have chosen a different actress.' That's when I realised that my portrayal of the village girl with my costume and makeup was convincing."

Overall the actress praised the team's dedication, calling it a fulfilling project and expressing high expectations for its success. She additionally added, "This film has been a unique and rewarding experience. I gained a deeper understanding during the dubbing process. Engrossed in the footage, I lost track of time, spending three hours without realising it. I found myself impressed by my performance."

"Lipstick" is helmed by Kamruzzaman Roman, with Abdullah Zahir Babu credited as the screenplay writer. Ador Azad stars opposite Puja, while Shahiduzzaman Selim, Misha Sawdagor, Monira Mithu, and several others feature in prominent roles in the film.