Popular theatre artiste and voice-over actor Shagufta Abrar, whose impressive body of work includes Patriot, Taskaree, Coolie, Bridgerton, Squid Game and The Woman King, along with acclaimed stage productions such as Rajadhiraaj and Sardar, is celebrating a new milestone in her career. The performer has now made a striking on-screen appearance in the recently released crime drama Raakh, and she couldn't be happier about the journey that has brought her here.
For Shagufta, Raakh is much more than just another project. “When I look back, I realise this role marks a new chapter in my journey as an artist. I have a scene with Sonali Bendre, but it's a significant one. She has just returned after the tragic loss of both her children, and I play her colleague, a fellow teacher. It's not a large role, but I wanted to be part of the project because I've been transitioning from voice-over work to dubbing, then theatre, and now screen acting. Working across these different mediums has helped me grow not just professionally, but personally as well.”
Making the leap from behind the microphone to in front of the camera was an experience she thoroughly enjoyed. “Stepping in front of the camera was definitely exciting. What made the experience special was working with a director who rehearsed every scene beforehand, something I hadn't experienced on my earlier screen projects. The process felt very similar to theatre—we rehearsed first and then performed—which made me feel comfortable. I also found it fascinating that the team wanted a completely natural look. They even darkened my skin tone slightly to make the character appear more authentic. When I eventually saw myself on screen, I barely recognised myself. A lot of people told me I looked different and much stronger than they had ever seen me, and I think that says a lot about the impact of honest storytelling.”
It's no surprise that Shagufta credits theatre for giving her the confidence to embrace screen acting. “Theatre has played a huge role in preparing me for screen acting. I've always been an emotional person, and I think I understand emotions quite instinctively. Over the last six or seven years, every character I've played has taught me something new about myself. Theatre, in particular, has been incredibly therapeutic. I'm naturally an anxious person, but the moment I step onto a stage, that anxiety disappears. Being immersed in a character's world gives me a sense of calm and clarity that I don't experience anywhere else.”
While acting is opening exciting new doors, Shagufta continues to cherish the unforgettable moments that have come her way through voice work. One such memory is meeting Rajinikanth while dubbing for Coolie. “One of the most memorable moments in my voice-over career came while dubbing for Coolie, starring Rajinikanth. I travelled to Chennai for the recordings and happened to meet him at the studio. What struck me wasn't that I was meeting a superstar, but how humble he was. There was no unnecessary entourage or fuss. He greeted everyone with a smile and treated every person in the room with warmth and respect. It was inspiring to see that someone so accomplished could remain so grounded.”
Shagufta’s journey started as a journalist before discovering her voice as her greatest strength. “I started out as a journalist. I interned with a TV channel and later worked as a field reporter in Mumbai. During an event, someone noticed my voice and asked if I would be interested in doing voice-overs for their movie channel. Since I had always enjoyed imitating voices as a child, it came naturally to me. I continued doing voice-overs alongside journalism until I realised it could become a career. That eventually led me to All India Radio’s FM Rainbow, where I worked as a radio presenter for two and a half years.”
She adds, “In 2018, I got the opportunity to do a small dubbing role in Raazi, and that’s when I decided to take dubbing seriously. To improve my craft, I joined a theatre workshop, and that decision changed my journey. Theatre eventually opened the door to screen acting. Looking back, every step led naturally to the next — voice-overs led to dubbing, dubbing led to theatre, and theatre brought me in front of the camera. Each experience has shaped me into a better artiste and a better human being.”
While dubbing has been an important part of her career, recreating emotions authentically remains one of the biggest challenges she faces. “Sometimes you simply have to react to someone falling down or crying out in pain, and making those sounds feel real isn’t easy. If something feels fake or superficial, I struggle with it and often need multiple takes. Genuine emotion comes much more naturally to me than manufactured reactions.”
With AI voice cloning becoming increasingly common, Shagufta believes human emotion will always remain irreplaceable. “Honestly, it doesn’t worry me. Technology may eventually learn to imitate human emotions, but I don’t believe it can truly create them. Human performances come from lived experiences, instinct and emotional truth, and I don’t think those qualities can ever be fully replaced by artificial intelligence. Human emotions will never go out of trend.”
Despite spinning many tables on the creative side, theatre continues to remain closest to her heart. “I don’t really have a logical explanation for it, but I feel completely at ease on stage. I once read that perhaps it’s because, during those few hours, you know exactly what you’re supposed to do and where you belong. Maybe that’s why theatre gives me such a deep sense of peace.”
Looking back at her journey across journalism, radio, dubbing, theatre and acting, Shagufta feels that her artistic journey is only beginning. “I don’t think I’ve achieved extraordinary success yet, but choosing to become an artiste remains one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Refusing to limit myself to just one medium has given me the freedom to keep exploring and growing. Being an artist allows me to express myself honestly, channel my emotions and share them with grace. That sense of freedom and empowerment is the greatest gift this journey has given me.”
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