The Pink star talks to ANINDYA TRIPATHI on her coming web-series ‘Four More Shots’, her personal life and her journey as an actor.
Q. Tell us about the second season of Four More Shots?
A. The trailer for the second season is out and I can assure you that it is a bigger and better season in comparison to the first one. Even though the storyline continues from the first season, there are interesting developments. Audience will also meet new characters, issues and plotlines.
Q.What do you prefer, web-series or movies?
A. There is an inherent similarity in both mediums, in terms of how they both are made. But yes, these OTT platforms are more intimate, time consuming and as an actor, you have to dedicate more time to the character. Web-series are a complete journey where a lot of time is spent on the minutest of details, whereas films generally operate on a fixed time and space. I love the fact that OTT platforms have a wider reach and the idea of my work reaching places as an actor is enthralling. Also, essentially, films are business, they have a certain formula that is needed to make them work. Whereas web is infinite and open for experiments.
Even though I feel that OTT platforms are great to hone one’s craft and bring out the nuances as an actor, films are equally challenging. To be able to convey a story in a limited time space of two hours is a craft. This requires a lot of work, expertise and skilled people. One thing that I do not like about the OTT platforms is that a two-hour film usually takes 30-45 days to film, whereas an OTT show of 7 to 8 hours is filmed within a span of 70 to 100 days. I feel that kind of rushes the project and I don’t like the pace.
Q. Were you comfortable playing a single mother? Was there a fear of being typecast?
A. Initially, I did have my concerns over being typecast, but I am over those worries now. I loved playing this character, and the way her personal journey is written. As an actor, I feel one has to do whatever excites him or her.
Q. What do you have to say about the constant pressure celebrities face vis-à-vis their privacy?
A. Personally speaking, I am very new to all this. I have always kept my personal life private and it is after Pink, I feel people have started getting to know me. I think the pressure is there only if you allow it to be and succumb to it. You can make a legend out of yourself, or you can be as ordinary as you want to be. Am I ready to take this pressure? No, I am not. I think my constant fight is to be “me” and do things my way. For me, my own sanity and freedom matter the most. I didn’t become an actor to become a public figure or please people, but because I love acting. I will not follow a set of rules given to me just because they have been followed for so long, instead I really believe in following my own path even if it is difficult. Every time you make a choice, there will be consequences and one should be ready to face them.
Q. From Shaitan and Pink to Four More Shots, which one has been the toughest?
A. They were all tough, in their own sense. That’s exactly why I chose them. As an actor, the worst thing you can do is remain confined in your comfort zone. I really can’t stay there; I take roles that challenge me as an actor and I love acting. So, I don’t have a favourite and I hope that I don’t have to choose one either.
Q. Did you always want to be an actor?
A. No, it was never a childhood dream or an option available to me. During college, I happened to receive a call for a film by film division. They had seen my work somewhere and when I went for the shoot that’s when it occurred to me. I felt the most alive on a theatre set and I have never looked back.