Back under the tutelage of Naseeruddin

Dugal with Naseeruddin Shah and Padmavati Rao

To hone any kind of talent, the foundation must be solid. Nobody understands that better than Rasika Dugal, who is a product of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and trained under the tutelage of veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah. Sharing screen space with her mentor in the Kaushal Oza-directed short film, The Miniaturist Of Junagadh, she says, "It is encouraging to watch someone with his kind of experience and body of work to be so excited about and invested in what he is doing. It is a treat and learning to watch Naseer sir work with the tiniest details while also paying attention to the larger picture."

Reminiscing about her journey as an artiste, Dugal says it is like going back to school when working with Shah, "[There is] equal measures of nervousness and excitement. So much of what he taught me at the institute has stayed with me and been an integral part of my journey as an actor. It was an honour to share screen space with him."

Set in 1947, The Miniaturist of Junagadh follows the life of artiste Hussain Naqqash, who is adamant to retain his miniature collection when compelled to move from India to Karachi. Dugal, who plays Shah's on-screen daughter, says, "It is a gentle yet riveting film - a tough balance to achieve - but Kaushal has managed it skilfully. Every time I watch the film, I take away something different from it."