“It feels like a debut in many ways,” she said, acknowledging the unique challenge of transitioning from her established music career to the world of acting. “It’s definitely very exciting and nerve-wracking.”
In ‘Trap’, Saleka takes on the role of Lady Raven, a fictional pop star whose character is deeply intertwined with the film’s suspenseful narrative. “I play a singer named ‘Lady Raven’. There’s a very immersive experience when you watch the movie,” Saleka explained. “I wrote all the music for it, so it’s very music-centric, but it’s also an incredibly scary and suspenseful movie. It takes you to places that you wouldn’t expect.”One of the standout elements of ‘Trap’ is the original music composed by Saleka herself. “I wrote all the songs once the script was written and very especially curated for every single scene. Because it hadn’t functioned in many ways especially kind of working with Cooper’s character and where he is in the plot and the audience is with him. So, the music has to be with him,” she quoted.
Further, working with her father on the set of ‘Trap’ added an extra layer of comfort and security for Saleka. She described the experience as both fun and reassuring, especially given the vulnerability that comes with creating art. She shared, “I mean it was so fun, I feel like there is a level of comfort and security that you feel with the family members or the person that you trust and just knowing that you know, especially in this context when you are making art. It’s such a vulnerable process and it’s so scary for me; I was so nervous on set because it was the first time I was doing things like these. So, to feel protected and safe and not judged, was a beautiful thing and it made me feel secure on set.”
Despite the familial support, the process was not without its challenges. Balancing the various aspects of her role—dancing, singing, and acting—proved to be overwhelming at first. “In the beginning, I was definitely overwhelmed by all of it,” she admitted. “But it became this beautiful coincidence of art forms that helped each other and added inspiration. However, there were definitely some scenes that were very difficult to get into. That was the most challenging part for me,” she added.
As Saleka embarks on this new chapter in her career, her debut in ‘Trap’ showcases her versatility as an artist, blending her musical prowess with her acting talent in a film that promises to leave audiences on the edge of their seats. The movie was released by Warner Bros in India on August 2, 2024.
