Hardware FixRecommendedDevice not working? Your driver may be the problemCheck updates for common hardware issues.Fix DriversOctober DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan Now×
Skip to content
DocumentaryTube
Admit one · Blog

Sanya Malhotra and Radhika Madan on Playing Sisters in *Pataakha*

Sanya Malhotra and Radhika Madan explain how auditions, workshops, time in Rajasthan and an off-screen friendship shaped their performances as feuding sisters in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Pataakha.
Opened Runtime3 min Written byDocumentaryTube Team

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

In a 2018 interview, Sanya Malhotra and Radhika Madan said that playing the hostile sisters at the heart of Vishal Bhardwaj’s Pataakha meant building characters who felt far removed from themselves. Malhotra played younger sister Genda “Chutki” Kumari; Madan played elder sister Champa “Badki” Kumari. Their preparation included auditions, readings, improvisation, workshops and time in Rajasthan.

Who are Chutki and Badki in Pataakha?

Pataakha follows Champa “Badki” and Genda “Chutki” Kumari, sisters in Rajasthan whose fights erupt over everyday matters. The interview describes them as so combative that their quarrels can seem petty or to have no clear cause. Their lives become still more entangled when they marry into the same household.

The film is based on Charan Singh Pathik’s short story Do Behnein. In the interview, Radhika Madan summed up the recognizable sibling dynamic: “Our characters are like any other siblings.”

How did the actresses approach two very different sisters?

Sanya Malhotra as Chutki

Malhotra characterized Chutki as loud, aggressive and spiteful, and said she could not relate to her. “Chutki is somebody I cannot relate to at all,” she said. The distance between actor and character became part of the challenge: the role let her explore a temperament unlike her own.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Posters Inc Hindi Film Wall Posters Classic Films Sholay Era 54 A6
  • Classic Films Sholay Era; 54 distinct Bollywood movie designs with no repeats across the set
  • Sized A6 at 10 by 15 centimetres each; 54 mini prints laid out in 6 rows of 9 spanning about 90 by 90 centimetres
  • Printed on 300 grams per square metre matte art card; unframed sheets that drop straight into a standard photo frame
  • Self adhesive glue dots supplied; mounts like a wall sticker without nails and lifts away without marks
  • Designed as posters for room aesthetic setups; portrait orientation suits bedroom; hostel and study room walls

Malhotra also described costume and makeup as aids to entering the character. That detail appears in a contemporaneous Indian Express feature, which discussed the performers’ different approaches to the roles (The Indian Express, “Sister Act”).

Radhika Madan as Badki

Madan described Badki as bossy. The character’s outward behavior came more readily to her than its inner life, and she said it took time to understand Badki’s motivations. In this account, the work was not simply to reproduce a forceful personality but to find what lay beneath it.

Rank #2
Black And White Hindi Education Poster Hindi Alphabet Chart Canvas Wall Art Minimalist Preppy India Aesthetic Prints Painting For Living Room Bedroom Classroom Wall Decor 12x16in Unframed
  • Versatile Sizing: Available in various sizes, ranging from 12x16 inches to 24x36 inches, this unframed or framed poster can be easily adapted to suit your space and decor needs.
  • Hindi Education Focus: This Hindi Alphabet Chart Poster is an essential tool for toddlers and young learners, introducing them to the Hindi alphabet in a visually appealing and educational manner.
  • Minimalist Design: The poster features a minimalist, preppy India aesthetic that makes it a perfect fit for any room, from bedrooms and living rooms to offices and classrooms.
  • Educational Value: Designed with educational posters for toddlers in mind, this alphabet chart is not only a decorative piece but also a valuable learning tool, enhancing early education and language skills.
  • 【After Sale Service 】Once your poster Sets for Room Aesthetic artwork arrives,If you have any other questions, please you can contact us through Amazon anytime and anywhere ,we will answer you in the shortest time.Your satisfaction is our only pursuit.

What did their preparation involve?

In the Scroll.in interview, the actresses described a process built from rehearsal and immersion rather than a single technique. Their preparation included:

  • Auditions and scene work: Madan recalled auditioning with four scenes after being asked to meet director Vishal Bhardwaj. Malhotra said she prepared three scenes while shooting Badhaai Ho.
  • Readings and improvisation: Both described repeated readings and improvisational work as part of finding the sisters’ dynamic.
  • Workshops: They worked in workshops with casting director Atul Mongia and Bhardwaj.
  • Time in Rajasthan: They recalled spending about six days in Rajasthan at the home of source-story writer Charan Singh Pathik and doing household tasks to get closer to the setting.

These are the performers’ recollections as reported in the interview, not independently documented production records. Malhotra also recalled Bhardwaj offering her the part and telling her she would need to put on weight.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

How did they work on the dialect and setting?

The interview links preparation to the film’s rural Rajasthan setting, including time spent at Pathik’s home and taking on household tasks. Malhotra described the speech as Rajasthani with a Gujjar dialect, adding that the village dialect sounded Haryanvi to her. That is her account of the dialect work, rather than a general linguistic classification.

Why did becoming friends matter for playing enemies?

Malhotra said she and Madan initially seemed like opposites. She explained that growing closer off-screen helped them portray the sisters’ hostility: “But when we became friends, that is when I realised that it is very important to bond with your co-actor to play characters like Chutki and Badki.” The contrast is central to their account: the performers developed trust with each other while playing characters whose relationship was defined by friction.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

When was Pataakha released?

Scroll.in published its interview on September 23, 2018, and reported that the film was scheduled to open on September 28, 2018. That release date was forthcoming at the time of publication; the interview is best read today as a historical account of the actresses’ preparation and performance, not as current guidance on where the film is available to watch.

Sources

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Screening Room

  1. Does NEON Have a New Horror Movie It Won’t Show Us? What’s VerifiedAdmit one · BlogDoes NEON Have a New Horror Movie It Won't Show Us? What's VerifiedOpened09 OCT 2026Runtime1 min
  2. What the Official NCIS: Origins Trailer Reveals About Young GibbsAdmit one · BlogWhat the Official NCIS: Origins Trailer Reveals About Young GibbsOpened09 OCT 2026Runtime2 min
  3. What Makes a Translation Great? Ten Literary Translators Weigh InAdmit one · BlogWhat Makes a Translation Great? Ten Literary Translators Weigh InOpened09 OCT 2026Runtime3 min
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.