We caught up with one of India's most acclaimed independent film actors and directors, Tannishtha Chatterjee, following the New York premiere of her latest film, Full Plate — her second feature as director, starring Kirti Kulhari, Sharib Hashmi, Indraneil Sengupta, and Monica Dogra.

Trained as a Hindustani classical vocalist and a graduate of India's prestigious National School of Drama, Tannishtha became known to the world for her roles in the German film Shadows of Time and Brick Lane. She's been in over 50 movies, and has starred alongside Abhay Deol in Road, Movie, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Dekh Indian Circus and Lion. Siddiqui played the lead role in her directorial debut, Roam Rome Mein.

Her accolades include:

• A Best Actress nomination for a British Indep ...