Sushmita Sen made waves in the industry for her performance as transgender and activist Shreegauri (Gauri) Sawant in the web series Taali. But, another actor also plays the same person in the series, albeit a younger version of the lead character named Ganesh and that is Krutika Deo.
Having made her TV debut with Prem Hey in 2017, she set foot in Bollywood through her role in Panipat (2019). Since then, she has been part of projects such as Anya, Hawaizaada, Hostel Daze and Jhoom.
In conversation with Indulge, the trained Kathak dancer and psychology degree holder talks about her role in Taali, her goals, and that one role she would really like to play.
Excerpts:
Q: How much did you have to prepare for your role in Taali?
A: The day I got the role, I started learning a lot about Gauri Sawant and I got the whole idea of what I was getting into. She is such an inspirational woman and has so many achievements to her name. But, very little is known about her childhood. So, I used to take notes whenever she spoke about her childhood. That's how I prepped for the role and I also watched documentaries about the transgender community in India.
Q: When you met Sushmita Sen on the set, what did she say about your performance?
A: I was hesitant to approach her at first, for she is Sushmita Sen! But she welcomed me with open arms and gave me the greatest hug I've ever had. She is so warm and empathetic and such a good, wise person. You just feel positivity all around her. She said, "I've been hearing very good things about you. You are doing a good job." That made me very comfortable and it kind of grounded me.
Q: How do you select your roles?
A: If it (the role) is something that I would like to watch myself in, then it is an instant 'yes' from me. Or it has to be something I haven't done before, something really different. For example, I recently had done a short film in Marathi and the character I played had a different shade, a little cunningness and a negative vibe to it. I generally get roles which are sweet and innocent, and (like that of a) girl next door.
Q: What is the most difficult role that you've portrayed until now?
A: Ganesh from Taali is the most difficult (role I've taken on). For me to play Ganesh, I had to put myself in a different emotional and mental state altogether. I had to imagine myself being Ganesh, but without the experiences they have had. It was challenging mentally and emotionally. It was the most difficult and the most gratifying experience playing Ganesh.
Q: What is one role that really captivated you the moment you saw it?
A: I would like to be a part of something like the German miniseries Unorthodox (aired on Netflix), which revolves around the lead character named Esther 'Esty' Shapiro, played by Shira Haas. The lead character is really inspiring.
Q: What is the latest movie or web series that you thoroughly enjoyed watching?
A: I recently watched Jubilee and totally enjoyed it. I loved the world they had created, that era and the music by Amit Trivedi. Jubilee is something I have talked about, on and on, for so many days.
Q: What is your short-term goal?
A: I would like to portray a character that has a lot of rage and anger. We do not really watch a lot of people playing very good angry scenes. Not the screaming and yelling form of anger, but passive anger. I would like to give it a try and see if it works or if I am able to deliver it.
Q: What is more comfortable for you - acting in a movie or a web series?
A: Movies, because we have less number of scenes on a single day. If it is a web show, the schedule is packed. But, I prefer doing both.
Q: Tell us about your future projects.
A: I have acted in Opium, which is an anthology of five films. I have acted in one of the films called the Riot which revolves around riots that occur due to religious reasons. It talks about how religion divides people. I want it to reach our audiences and want more people to watch it. That's something I am waiting for.
Q: What should be done to take the Indian film industry to new heights?
A: I think working on your craft. Whatever department you work in, working really hard on your craft and adapting to new things is something that will make you grow a lot as an individual and if everyone does it, it will help the whole industry as well.
Q: What are your thoughts about cancel culture?
A: If you are sure about yourself and you've done nothing wrong, it shouldn't hurt or affect you. If you are famous, you are going to be a target. I think, (one should) just ignore it and not let their mental health get affected by all these things.