“The most interesting women on screen today aren’t perfect, they’re simply human”: Rasika Dugal on why she chooses morally ambiguous characters

Actor Rasika Dugal has quietly built one of the most distinctive filmographies in Indian entertainment by consistently choosing women who refuse to fit neatly into conventional definitions of a “heroine.” From the calculating yet vulnerable Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur to the empathetic yet restrained Neeti Singh in Delhi Crime, Rasika’s characters have become some of the most memorable women on Indian screens precisely because they embrace contradictions rather than perfection. Critics have often noted the depth and range of these performances, highlighting how different they are from one another.

At a time when audiences increasingly gravitate towards authenticity over idealism, Rasika believes that morally layered characters have become far more compelling than traditionally aspirational ones. Rather than portraying women who exist to inspire through perfection, her characters reflect the complexities, contradictions, vulnerabilities and difficult choices that define real life.

Over the years, whether it has been Beena Tripathi, who evolves from being perceived as powerless to becoming one of the sharpest strategists in Mirzapur; Neeti Singh, whose quiet empathy becomes her greatest strength in Delhi Crime; Safia in Manto, Savita in Hamid, Dolly in Out of Love or Mallika in Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, Rasika has consistently gravitated towards women who challenge audiences instead of seeking their immediate approval. Her portrayal of Neeti Singh, in particular, has been praised for bringing emotional depth and quiet authority to the character.

Reflecting on this shift in storytelling, Rasika Dugal said, “I’ve never consciously gone looking for characters who are morally ambiguous.I’ve always searched for are characters that reflect the complexity of real people.Human beings are contradictory, inconsistent and constantly evolving. That’s what fascinates me as an actor. If I can understand why a character makes a certain choice even if I personally disagree with it then I know there’s something worth exploring.”

Rasika further adds, “For a long time, female characters were expected to be symbols of virtue, sacrifice or perfection. Today, writers are allowing women to be flawed, selfish, ambitious, vulnerable, manipulative, compassionate and courageous sometimes all at once. I think that’s a far more honest reflection of life. We don’t have to agree with every decision a character makes to empathise with her journey.”

She continues, “Beena Tripathi is a great example of that. People often ask me if she’s a hero or a villain. I think she is a woman trying to survive in a deeply patriarchal and violent world using the tools available to her. Her choices are uncomfortable, sometimes shocking, but they emerge from her circumstances. That’s what makes her interesting to me.”

She concludes, “Neeti Singh, on the other hand, operates from an entirely different emotional space. She is measured, compassionate and quietly resilient. She isn’t loud or performative, yet she possesses immense strength. What I love is that neither woman can be reduced to a single adjective. As actors, we’re often told to make characters ‘likeable’, but I think being interesting is far more important than being likeable. People we meet in real life are rarely perfect; they surprise us, disappoint us, inspire us and sometimes frustrate us all at the same time. I believe audiences today are incredibly intelligent. They don’t want idealised women anymore; they want real women. They want to see people who make mistakes, carry regrets, fight their circumstances and continue moving forward despite their imperfections.”

“If the stories I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of contribute, even in a small way, to expanding how women are represented on screen, then I consider that a privilege. I hope we continue moving towards stories where women aren’t expected to symbolize perfection – they’re simply allowed to be fully human.”

With Mirzapur: The Movie set to bring Beena Tripathi to the big screen, Rasika’s growing body of work continues to reinforce her reputation as one of India’s finest actors – one who consistently chooses complexity over convention and humanity over perfection.