PRITHA BAKSHI: "My Haryanvi roots helped me in getting the dialect right for MX Player’s Virodh"

Pritha Bakshi's compelling and authentic portrayal of Kajri in India's No 1 OTT platform, MX Player's 'Virodh' has garnered high praise from critics and audiences alike. However, little do people know that the secret to her praise-worthy performance lies in her roots in Haryana. As a native of the region, Pritha was already familiar with the dialect spoken in that region.

Pritha's Haryanavi roots gave her an innate understanding of the local language and culture, which she artfully incorporated into her portrayal of Kajri in Virodh. As a young sportswoman whose life is shattered by illegal sand mining in western Uttar Pradesh, Kajri's character demanded a nuanced and authentic performance. With her deep understanding of the region, Pritha seamlessly embodied the character, breathing life into the complex emotions and experiences with remarkable ease.

Pritha shared, “My parents are from Yamunanagar in Haryana, my native city. I visited my grandparents there as a child and still visit the place. This has given me a sense of the culture and language of the region. I can speak Haryanvi and get the dialect and tone right because I've spent much time in and around Haryana. So, in that sense, I also understand some things about the situation of women there, although there's still a lot of work to be done. As an actor, I can easily adapt to a character from that region.”

Although Haryana is Pritha’s native place, she grew up in Mumbai's modern world and thus couldn't directly relate to Kajri's experiences. “I was born and raised in Mumbai, a very urban setting, and come from a supportive and progressive family. I haven't faced the same challenges and difficulties that Kajri has in her life. I don't personally relate to Kajri's experiences. However, as an actor, it's exciting to explore and portray characters that are unfamiliar and different from me,” Pritha expressed.

The MX Original series ‘Virodh’ follows the story of Kajri (played by Pritha Bakshi), a young sportswoman whose life is turned upside down after the brutal murder of her father and brother. Fighting the odds of life with her mother, Kajri finds herself at the mercy of her ruthless uncle Brijbhan, who takes over the family's business and plans to marry her off to Vishesh, the son of a powerful local politician. Defying Brijban’s plans, Kajri elopes with her high school sweetheart Gagan a.k.a Gogi (played by Abhinav Ranga), a javelin throw enthusiast, hoping to build a life together away from the violence and corruption that surrounds them. But their happiness is short-lived as Brijbhan retaliates by killing Gogi's family, forcing Kajri to make a difficult choice. In a desperate attempt to save Gogi's life, Kajri offers to marry Vishesh, but their wedding night turns into a bloodbath as a violent shootout erupts. On the run from Brijbhan and his henchmen, can Kajri and Gogi survive the dangerous world they find themselves in?

Directed and Created by Rahul Dahiya, the 7 episodic series also stars Ashish Nehra, Manoj Rathi, Jaspal Kaur, Deepak Kapoor, Geetanjali Mishra, Rajbeer Singh, Vickey, Bhavana, and Simran.