Key Points

During an exclusive conversation with IANS, Sonali revealed that she was surprised when she received an offer for an audiobook as it was a first for her.

Sharing what drew her to this medium, she told IANS, "It was a surprise for me that Audible wanted me to play Rani Sukanya in this series. It is something out of the box because so far I am used to receiving offers for web series, films, short films, and modeling assignments- I just walked the Bombay Times fashion show ramp as a showstopper. So one is used to that or ad films, but this was something which I was very curious about - why did you think of me? Because I had done some plays and readings earlier, but this was something new."

Revealing how she prepared for the role of Rani Sukanya for the audiobook, where all the emotions had to be conveyed through the voice itself, the 'Dil Chahta Hai' actress stated, "This is a medium where you don't have any artificial accessory to prove that you are playing a queen. I didn't have makeup or costumes, and neither did I have sets to help me portray this character. It was the sheer command in my voice and at the same time Rani Sukanya holds very human emotions and poise- it's not that she's blind with her royalty position."

Talking about the complexities of her character, Sonali revealed, "I really liked the way Rani Sukanya plays a mother, a queen, a citizen, and a relative. She is bonded with her family, she is bonded with her son, she is a kind boss and she is a proud queen, and at the same time, she is pained immensely. So, it was very important for us as a team to bring out all these nuances well because usually, we think if you have a very bossy voice, half the battle is won- it is not about that. A boss too is a human, so Rani Sukanya has immense human shades."

- IANS