Sheeba Chaddha on embracing truth in acting and her role in Riz Ahmed's Hamlet
When she’s on screen, you hold your breath, awaiting the moment when her character will flip the narrative. The nuances and layers she brings to the roles she plays have cemented her place in the industry. Sheeba Chaddha has had a steady and organic career growth, and in a conversation with Indulge, she tells us about how she approaches the script with nothing but the desire to express truth.
Sheeba Chaddha on embracing truth in her roles and the evolution of motherhood in Bollywood
You recently played Gertrude in Riz Ahmed’s Hamlet. How did you approach her character in a south Asian cultural setting?
It was not a thought that I had as to what Gertrude is going to be like. The story is as south Asian as Riz Ahmed has mentioned in interviews. There is a family where a father has died; there is a marriage in the house, and all the events that happen don’t require one to think, ‘Oh, this is a south Asian family,’ as a response to it. They can be in any situation, ethnicity or culture, because that’s what Shakespeare is about!
Gertrude was, for me, like a mother of this child who’s troubled, and is going to get into more trouble with the way events pan out. It’s quite tragic. So, for me, it’s just a mother experiencing and being a part of this trajectory of events. She’s also a woman who struggles; who lives in the space between duty, loneliness, and desires.
A lot of your characters also delve into the interiorities of such women. What would you say draws you to those scripts?
It’s not so much a question of being drawn to; these are the scripts that are offered, and I’m just fortunate that they are repeatedly offered to me. I think as women or as people, we all recognise these interior areas; everybody has some experience or the other in varying intensities with all these feelings and emotions. We draw from our understanding of those experiences, even when we observe; it’s not so much in us but around us.
You’ve also been receiving the role of a mother quite early in your career, but there’s this thin line between roles that are meaningful and the risks of becoming a stereotype. How has the trope evolved in Bollywood?
Of course, the trope has evolved. We were so used to the mother who’s always weeping at home and is the passive player. Now, I think the mothers are active, and it’s like a fan unfurling; you can see so many aspects within a mother. We are recognising that they are personalities, individuals, and also mothers, like how we are in real life. We don’t stop being other people just because we assume the parental role. Our scripts are certainly taking that into account now.
When you look back at your career, do you see an intentional arc in the choices that you’ve made, or was it a totally organic journey?
It’s a completely organic journey. You can’t orchestrate an arc like that, because we are not generating the film, the material, or the project; we are just simply one cog in the wheel. The arc is in the way the story has evolved over time. It’s fortunate that I have been offered these types of roles. I cannot say it enough just how grateful I am to the powers that be, for these opportunities.
As an artiste, is there a tension between being content and being ambitious?
I don’t think there is any struggle there because maybe I also need to re-evaluate what it means to be ambitious. I’m very content with what’s being offered to me right now. However, as an actor, I am greedy — to constantly be offered work that I feel happy to do.
Any upcoming projects that you’re really excited to share?
Yes, Hamlet. I’ve also done a second project with Riz and his company, called Bait. Then, there is Ramayana, Mirzapur: The Film, and Student of the Year 3.