Anchor and actress Kubbra Sait, widely acclaimed for her role in the web series Sacred Games, speaks to Anindya Tripathi about her life in showbiz and her talent for spoken-word poetry.
Q. You have in the past spoken about coming from a very conservative family. How was your decision to make a career in acting received at home?
A. It was not received well at all. My mom and dad were together and they were both involved in deciding what career path I should take. And acting seemed like a far-fetched plan.
I think the credit to what I am doing entirely lies in the hands of my mother, because she actually gave me the courage, the wings to fly, and to really decide whatever I wanted to do with my life. I don’t think my parents together could have ever seen me as being a part of this industry. It would not have happened if they were together.
Q. When did you first discover spoken-word poetry? Also, tell us something about your first performance as a poet.
A. I discovered spoken-word poetry through the [online] community. I saw a few stories go up. I think the first one that I really saw was the Mini Mathur story on the Kapoors and the Khannas. I thought it was really funny. I knew that there was so much more, and also that there was this intimate circle of people sharing their own truths—and everything was autobiographical. It was amazing that it moved people on so many levels and that was when I realised that I have stories too.
So my first storytelling session happened in the intimate setting of 13-14 people, where I first spoke about how my cat lost her virginity. That was my first performance and it was amazing. It gave me the confidence to write more, but I also kind of broke away from what I used to do regularly, which was to be a host. So this became for me a new piece of life.
Q. Tell us about your experience at the recently held Spoken Fest, Delhi. How was your poetry received here?
A. For me, performing at Spoken Fest is like performing for my family—the audience is like my family. The love was tremendous. The joy, positivity and the hugs were countless, at every step. I am a person who freaks out with storytelling because it’s a very new form for me and I am somebody who is still learning. I am fiercely loyal to the Kommune family [the organiser of Spoken Fest] and am grateful for how they mentor me. So every single year, over the last three years, I have been able to bring out new stories for Kommune at the Spoken Fest. It makes me swell with joy. I am glad I was able to reach out to something which is so cathartic to me.
So that was my overall experience as far as Delhi is concerned. I really thought the Delhi crowd wouldn’t be as patient as it was. It was incredible. The power of Spoken Fest is such that everybody just sits and absorbs, which is incredible. And I think we could have more of this around the year. I think change can only happen with conversations. Change can only happen when you listen to a point of view and you are able to make sense of it with your intellect… There is no bar on topics you could pick to talk about at the Spoken Fest… That is what makes this event so special.
Q. Do you think movies and shows like Sacred Games are opening a space for the LGBTQ+ community in the Indian entertainment industry?
A. I think art, in general, has always been a gateway to inclusivity. People have questioned the wrongs through art; people have spoken about what works for them and what doesn’t work for them through art. And I think this holds true for the storytelling business in general.
As for film, it is always going to be here in both its long and short formats—asking tough questions which aren’t raised or addressed very often.
More importantly, it’s not just the LGBTQ+ community that is benefiting from this. I mean, look at Article 15, which came out last year. It tackled the subject of casteism and it did so in the nicest way possible. So I think at some point we should all be able to take stands for the things we believe in.
Q. Recently, Bhumi Pednekar’s “blackface”, in her film Bala, received a lot of criticism. As did the film Saand Ki Aankh, in which young actresses are playing the roles of senior women. On similar lines, there were concerns about you playing a trans character in Sacred Games. What do you have to say about this?
A. I don’t think Bhumi was the only one who received flak for discolouring her skin. I think so did Hrithik Roshan. And yes, sometimes it can be distracting. But that being said, these are stories that need to be told. As far as casting younger women in roles for older women is concerned, I cannot really have a say in that, because from what I know, many senior actors were contacted for the same roles, but it just did not work out. So what could be done in the best possible time with the best possible resources to get the best possible output was done.
I personally believe that if there is a person ready for an opportunity, then that opportunity should certainly go to them.
As for the idea that only trans actors should be playing trans characters: the point is that we don’t have a community of trans actors striving and fighting to make their mark.
I think the biggest regression has been the recent passing of the Trans Bill. I think fundamentally we need to grow up as human beings. We should think about becoming more inclusive to begin with, and accept and allow people to live in our society without barring them and asking them questions that are offensive, demeaning or disrespectful. I think we need to be able to channelise the journey of inclusivity. If that means that I need to take up roles that other people won’t, then I am okay with that. But if there was a trans actor who could have done this role, then I truly believe that they should have done it and that’s my stand.