Illegal actor Ritisha Khaund: Practical training is a blessing for a teenager like me

Actress Ritisha Khaund says she couldn't attend prestigious acting schools because she was a minor, but the practical experience taught her a lot, so much so that at 18, she played the lead role in a feature film.

THE Illegal (2020), the actor says: “I started when I was five with a song for the film Tula Aru Teja (2014). Then I made the film Suma Poroxote as well as giving a voiceover for another film Wings of Mind (2019). My best learning happened with the web series Illegal which taught me a lot and I also shaved my head to get into the skin of the character. And all the hard work paid off and finally, I got the feature film in which I play the lead role.

Khaund says she has been constantly working on her skills. “For teenagers, it is not possible to get training from premier institutes like the Film and Television Institute of India and the National School of Drama. So I took many workshops and online courses, including one from the New York Film Academy. During the filming of the feature film Kooki, I got to work with actors like Rajesh Tailang, Dipannita Sharma and others, which was a big lesson for me. I may not have been trained in an acting school, but I learned from talented actors around me. So the practical training was a blessing for a teenager like me,” she says.

The film was recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Having the film premiere on the world stage and walking the red carpet was quite an experience for me. Watching world cinema and meeting incredibly talented people has been very enriching for me. I want to work hard so that my future projects succeed and bring laurels to the country.

Khaund has also directed a film and after completing Class XII, plans to study abroad. “I am from Assam but this year I completed my high school in Bangalore and shot my film. Next, I plan to go abroad for higher education, learn performing arts, and continue to look for acting projects. After the international premiere, I get some good questions, I keep my fingers crossed,” she concludes.