Prajakta Koli talks about her new Audible series Desi Down Under and that one lifesaving skill she wants to learn

Prajakta Koli, who is a lively presence on Youtube with her channel Mostlysane, is diving in, quite literally, into a completely different form of content that she has never done before. In Desi Down Under, a coming-of-age, immersive 9-episode Audible Original series set on the shores of Sydney, Prajakta plays Meenu, who along with Deven (Adarsh Gourav) and Rahul (Taaruk Raina), are three hopeful 20-somethings from Mangalore who cross the ocean to learn surf-lifesaving skills at stunning Coogee Beach in Australia.

Prajakta sat down with Hindustan Times to talk about her experience in working in the audio series format in Desi Down Under, the most difficult emotion(s) she had to channel in the process and that one life-saving skill she wants to learn.

How was the process of working in an audio series for Audible India's Desi Down Under?

So this was my first time being an audio actor although Marvel's Wastelanders got announced before this. So this one I recorded first. It was my first time venturing into this completely new universe of being a performer that I have never been before. Challenging for sure, but I just happened to work with a bunch of people who knew exactly what they were doing and I think I completely lucked out there. Mithila (Gupta) as a writer, I think, has done such a beautiful job in making this whole world come together. Ki hum Lokhandwala pe baithke Sydney pahunch gaye (We reached Sydney while sitting at Lokhandwala) (laughs) which was I think great. Mantra (Mugdh) is the legend that he is. Recording with him was as immersive as a whole episode can get. He would give us a background of every scene, about every thing that a character is feeling and I think, as a director he held my hands through the ups and downs of having only this one way of expressing and telling your story. Audible, overall the way they have been making shows... I think they came in beautifully. I just happened to be amongst the right people. My co-actors Taaruk and Adarsh are amazing and they made this process much easier so it has been fun and so much more.

Tell us a little about Desi Down Under.

Desi Down Under is this coming-of-age story of these three young people- Meenu and Rahul are twins, they are both 24, and their friend Deven, who is a year older, he is 25; they are all from the coast of Mangalore. There's a reason why they want to do better for their community- something that has happened, that has affected their lives. That has change the way they look at life-saving skills and stuff like that. So they want to guard their shores so they decide to fly to Sydney to Coogee beach so that they can get certification in lifesaving skills. What happens there is what the show is about. It starts with them at the airport on their way to Sydney and, slowly and steadily the world that they are living in, which is Australia at this point, kind of opens up to them. There are some feelings between Deven and Meenu which find their way out in some ways. Then, Rahul has his own journey with self-realization about a lot of things that he finds along the way, So overall it is just these three people who are finding themselves while holding onto each other.

If you had to choose one emotion that is really difficult to channel from an audio acting perspective then what would it be?

Can I choose two? So, one of the things were definitely a very emotionally high scene where it was sort of a cusp of an emotional and physical crescendo and it was at the top of it because it was a life and death situation happening. It finds the three of us in the middle of it and its rather scary but at the same time it is extremely emotional because the three of us are involved in it. Making that come through was tough... Its one thing I think to read it and think like I can try... but its another completely when you put your body into it, your mind and voice into it. Suddenly it takes a while to align these three elements to hit the point that your director has asked you to hit with your performance. So that was tough.

The other one was when Meenu's kind of intoxicated (giggles) and that for me was very tough because whatever it is that she is intoxicated with is not something that I have experienced. That was new and different. (laughs)

Desi Down Under is about chasing one's dream to the fullest. Your character also has to learn a lifesaving skill in the process. What is one lifesaving skill that Prajakta wants to learn?

I really want to learn how to swim! I do not know how to do that. I feel like meri harkatein jaisi he (going by my actions) it is definitely a life-saving skill for me to know how to swim!

The poster of your upcoming film Neeyat was released recently. How was the experience working in a thriller and how was it working with Vidya Balan?

It was amazing! It was different from anything I have done before. I have never been part of anything that is a murder mystery, that is a thriller and its a lot! I am so grateful to Vikram (Malhotra) and Anu (Menon) for giving me this opportunity. I again had the immense fortune of being in the same room as some of the amazing actors we have around. Vidya Balan, Shahana Goswamia and Shashank Arora , Rahul Bose and Neeraj Kabi, Ram Kapoor, Danesh Razvi and Amrita Puri... I think just the fact that I get to be in one room who has done this phenomenal work is a win for me definitely. So, a lot of fun and Vidya is literally the best, she is the best. Nothing I say will describe how amazing she is. She is great.