Radha of 'The Forest' all silk and steel: Nandana Sen

Nandana Sen says that her character of Radha in Ashvin Kumar's "The Forest", is the oldest she has ever played and one which is "silk and steel", displaying both a sharp tongue and a soft heart.

"The Forest" is an ecological thriller which deals with the dynamics of human relationships against the dangerous and wild background of a forest. The plot of the story revolves around a couple who meet the wife's ex-lover while on vacation in a forest. They are also haunted by the presence of a man-eating leopard in the background.

"In 'The Forest' I played a character much older than any role I've ever been cast in till date. I incorporated into Radha a great deal of interiority and maturity - sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, confident yet fragile, Radha is all silk and steel. Honestly, I would not play her anydifferently were I to play the same role now," said Nandana, known for her role as Rani Mukherji's 17-year-old sister in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black".

The cast includes Javed Jaafri and Ankur Vikal.

Ashvin Kumar's films are always based on serious messages and themes. His previous works include "Little Terrorist", "Inshallah Kashmir" and "Inshallah Football". His characters often hold metaphorical significance and this is true for Nandana's character as well.

"Ashvin's film has a powerful message about the environment. If we destroy our wildlife and natural resources, we will have to pay with our lives. And we will lose that fight, because even all the trappings of culture can never add up to the raw power and glory of nature," she added while talking about the subject of the film.

The Bengali diva seemed to have mastered the art of looking glamorous. In fact she has recently become the brand ambassador for designer Ritu Kumar.

"I loved working with Ritu and Label, the line she created for 'The Forest' shows a great combination of casual practicality and ethnic elegance," she said.