‘Audiences Don’t Want Idealised Women Anymore’: Rasika Dugal Opens Up on Playing Complex Female Characters

New Delhi: Acclaimed actress Rasika Dugal believes the era of portraying women as flawless and idealised characters is gradually giving way to more authentic storytelling. Known for her nuanced performances in projects such as Mirzapur, Delhi Crime, and Manto, the actress says audiences today are looking for women who feel real, complete with their strengths, flaws, and contradictions.

Rasika, who is set to reprise her popular role as Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur: The Movie, shared her thoughts on why she is drawn to layered characters and how the representation of women on screen has evolved over the years.

‘Real People Are Complex’

Reflecting on the characters she has portrayed, Rasika said she has never intentionally sought out morally ambiguous roles. Instead, she is attracted to characters that mirror the complexity of real life.

According to the actress, people are naturally contradictory and constantly evolving, making such roles far more engaging to explore as an actor.“I’ve never consciously looked for morally ambiguous characters, but rather for characters that reflect the complexity of real people. Human beings are contradictory, inconsistent and constantly evolving,” she said.

She added that understanding a character’s motivations even when she personally disagrees with their choices is what makes a role meaningful.

Women Are No Longer Expected to Be Perfect

Rasika believes the entertainment industry has made significant progress in the way female characters are written.

She pointed out that women were once largely portrayed as symbols of sacrifice, virtue, or perfection. Today, however, writers are creating characters who are ambitious, vulnerable, flawed, compassionate, manipulative, and courageous all at the same time.

According to the actress, this shift offers a more truthful representation of real life.

‘Interesting Is Better Than Likeable’

Speaking about audience preferences, Rasika suggested that viewers are no longer searching for “perfect” protagonists.

Instead, she feels audiences appreciate characters who make mistakes, face challenges, and continue moving forward despite their imperfections.“Audiences don’t want idealised women anymore; they want real women. They want to see people who make mistakes, carry regrets, grapple with their circumstances and continue moving forward despite their imperfections,” she said.

She also noted that actors are often encouraged to make their characters “likeable,” but she believes being interesting is ultimately more important.

Hope for More Diverse Female Stories

Looking ahead, Rasika expressed hope that Indian cinema and streaming platforms will continue expanding the kinds of stories told about women.

She said she considers it a privilege to have been part of projects that present women as multidimensional individuals rather than symbols of perfection.

For the actress, meaningful storytelling lies in allowing female characters to be fully human with all their complexities, contradictions, and emotional depth.

With Mirzapur: The Movie on the horizon, fans will once again see Rasika Dugal step into the role of Beena Tripathi, a character widely praised for challenging conventional portrayals of women on screen.