Weekend with Soni Razdan: ‘The older I grow, the more I want to do’
The actor on taking long walks in Mumbai, working with Riz Ahmed on Bait, and her most challenging roles to date
Soni Razdan, 69, is a British-Indian actor and director. She made her acting debut in the 1981 Indian romance drama 36 Chowringhee Lane and has gone on to star in more than 60 films and TV series, including the internationally acclaimed drama, Monsoon Wedding, directed by Mira Nair. She plays Nalia in the Amazon Prime series Bait, created by Riz Ahmed, which is out on 25 March.
Razdan lives with her family in Mumbai, India.
How do you start your Saturday?
In the business that I work in, there is no such thing as a Saturday — at least not in India. When I am not on set, Sunday is the day I try to take it easy and I set Saturdays aside to catch up on admin. I am kind of the default family CEO.
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When there’s a weekend without work, what do you do?
We have a little farm house in the country with a swimming pool. My perfect weekend is to go there on a Friday and stay til Sunday. I love to swim. My husband goes on walks, I catch up on my reading. I never take my laptop with me.
What are you reading at the moment?
The Hallmarked Man by JK Rowling. It’s under her pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. I love thrillers. I also read a lot of Anthony Horowitz. In terms of nonfiction, I’m reading Sick Nation by Karan Sarin. It is a fascinating book about the lifestyle and health problems in India.
Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction?
I like both, but when I have to unwind at night, then definitely fiction. I also love listening to audio books, especially when I am going on a walk.
Where do you like to walk in Mumbai?
I am extremely lucky because we live right next to the beach, so I like to go walking there.
Do you prefer the outdoors or staying inside?
I love the outdoors and walking in the countryside and mountains. The older I grow, the more I want to do. I think I have more energy now than I did when I was younger.
What’s the most energy-intensive thing you do in your spare time?
Looking after my granddaughter. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to bring up two children when I find one child so exhausting.
Is it more fun to be a parent or a grandparent?
Being a grandparent is fun because you can say, “bye, bye, time to go home”. You get to really look forward and cherish the moments you have together. I am obsessed with my granddaughter — we all are. When my daughter suggests spending time together and I already have a day planned, I throw my plans away because I adore my granddaughter so much.
What was it like working on Bait?
Honestly, I am a huge fan of Riz Ahmed so when I got the opportunity to audition for Bait, I took it. The whole show is very funny and very clever and that is actually what drew me to the project, more than the individual role. It was a very fun character to play. Unfortunately, she is not in every episode.
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What are the most challenging roles you’ve done?
I was in a play at the Kiln Theatre in London, When the Crows Visit, in 2019. It was so fun, but challenging to do it over and over again for six weeks. At the same time, the process helped me learn so much. There was such a qualitative difference between the first night and the last night.
I’m about to do a film that will be very challenging because it’s basically just another actor and myself. We’re playing a very interesting couple somewhere up in the hills in the Himalayas.
What would be your dream role?
I think I am too old for a dream role now, that ship has sailed. Now I look for roles that allow me to grow as an actor. I feel like I have learned something from every role I did and took another step to improve my craft. The trick is to never think that you already know it all.
Bait is streaming on Amazon Prime from 25 March.
