EXCLUSIVE | Manjari Fadnnis on 'The Freelancer': 'My character suffers from mental illness, has dissociative disorder'

Disney Hostar is coming up with a new show called The Freelancer that’s based on the book A Ticket To Syria. As the name suggests, it’s a show that’s set against the backdrop of the war-torn country, a former cop turned mercenary, and a newly married girl trapped amid the growing ISIS terrorism. In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, Manjari Fadnnis, who plays a crucial role, opened up about her prep for the series, completing nearly two decades in the film industry, and much more.

Edited excerpts from the interview

How did you prepare for your role in the show?

I went through my normal routine that I go through while I’m preparing for any of my characters. I created a backstory for my character which essentially wasn’t a part of the script. The main work I had to do was to work on her inner mind and the emotional turmoil she’s going through. She’s Avinash Kamath’s wife, and she’s his emotional anchor. She has gone through very traumatic events in her life because of which she has been dealing with mental illness. She’s trying to find herself but has been emotionally volatile and her moods are unpredictable. You have to be careful around dealing with her. I had to do a lot of readings on what people have to through during dissociative disorder.

What can we expect from your character and the show’s overall narrative?

From my character, you can expect a beautiful bond between two individuals, a couple that has been through some intensely traumatic events. Despite all odds, this couple stands against all odds. The Freelancer is a very edge-of-the-seat, adrenaline pumping show people will binge watch in one go. It’s a Neeraj Pandey created show that’s in the same space as a Special Ops, he’s a master storyteller. When it comes to thrillers, he’s the best.

How do you see your journey in the industry so far?

It’s been a journey I’ve learned a lot from. I chose this profession because of my love for performing. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to stand tall and still get good work ; I’m getting much better work now. I would call this a new beginning in the industry. I’m excited by the work coming my way.

What’s your take on the content being made on the OTT platform?

It’s a great phase for the entire industry because of the audiences having changed, they are now exposed to off-beat and international series and films and their tastes have changed. Because of the OTT, everyone is getting an opportunity to try something out of the box and not worrying about the box-office. Good projects always find their audiences and this platform is a blessing for us.