Playing an assertive investigative journalist, who never holds herself back from breaking a story even if it’s against a powerful politician, didn’t require much preparation for Geetika Tyagi, who worked in the media for a few years before switching to acting.
The striking beauty, who got noticed for her small yet discerningly charming role as Bobby Deol’s wife in Class of ’83, will be back again as Shirin Ali in the second season of City of Dreams, directed by Nagesh Kukunoor.
“She’s one of the primary characters, who made a lot of enemies in the first season. In the second season you will witness the kind of consequences Shirin faces for her job,” she says, giving us a peek into the story without divulging much. A thespian first, Geetika has performed in Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal’s version of The Vagina Monologues for three years and was last seen in Purva Naresh’s award-winning play Ok, Tata, Bye Bye.
“I have always been choosy with the roles offered. Apart from another film and a series that are also slated for release, I am going through a lot of scripts right now, but nothing concrete has emerged yet,” she says.
Lockdown and fitness
A complete hodophile, Tyagi who’s feeling trapped due to the lockdown, utilised her time by reading, listening to music, exercising and meditating. “I did a lot of yoga and cooked at times and listened to audio novels while doing chores. I was a gym buff but now, I do a combination of weight training, yoga and pilates. I love doing the 70-minute intensive vinyasa flow comprising 150 yoga poses at a go,” tells Geetika, who’s currently swooning to Abida Parveen’s Raqs e Bismil and Neil Diamond’s Just for You.
Beauty secrets
Blessed with normal skin, Geetika uses The Mom Co.’s Vit C serum besides Mamaearth’s undereye cream and serum. She also uses Neemli’s Retinol and Peptide serum and Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster. “I drink three litres of water daily and keep sipping hot water and nimboo pani throughout the day. I eat every 3-4 hours, mainly a lot of proteins and fluids and lesser carbs. My favourite dish is a bowl of rice and chicken and my comfort drink is a mug of chilled beer though I go easy on the latter,” stresses Geetika.
If you scour through her bag you are sure to come across a BB cream, primer and a lip balm. “I think wearing an undereye concealer actually makes a lot of difference and keep clear mascara, BB cream and peach tint handy for a fresh dewy look,” she advises.
A long way to go...
Starting her career with the TV series Jo Kahunga Sach Kahunga for Doordarshan, Geetika got noticed in the serial Powder, directed by Atul Sabharwal, post which she earned accolades for her act in a much-appreciated short, Midnight Lost and Found, also by Sabharwal.
Debuting on the big screen with Bittu Boss in 2012, she has been a part of movies like What The Fish, CRD, Aatma, One By Two and 22 Yards. Straddling with elan between stage, film, television and web, Geetika aspires to work with a few talented filmmakers including Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, Vishal Bhardwaj, Zoya Akhtar, and Sriram Raghavan among others.
sharmishtha.g@newindianexpress.com
@sharmidas