Snubbing a hot and humid August afternoon in Kolkata, Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor took a tram ride with her co-actor Rajkummar Rao as the duo promoted their upcoming Hindi horror-comedy film Stree 2, a sequel to the 2018 release Stree. In the middle of her tight schedule in the city, Shraddha goes candid with correspondent Souvik Ghosh on the film and her choices.
Q. Are you consciously selective in doing films?
A. It’s a fact that I am very choosy and picky when it comes to films. I get into a deep thought before agreeing to do a role or a film. It takes a lot of hard work to make a film. I have great love for my work so I am very picky about my films. That’s why I get the opportunities to work with the best kind of films like Stree 2.
Q. How do you see the depiction of female protagonists has changed over the years in popular, commercial films like Stree 2?
A. I definitely feel it’s a fabulous time for actors in general with tremendous opportunities on the big screen as well as on OTT. For me personally, where I am at, I am very sure about the kind of work that I want to do. I want to be a part of films like Stree 2 where my character is a pivotal part of taking a narrative forward. So as a female actor, now I analyse whether the character is active in the script to push the narrative forward and whether it’s going to be something challenging for me to do. I have been turning down a lot of offers as well because I want to evolve as an actor. It’s interesting because those opportunities are also coming my way where I am saying ‘no’ to them and I am also clear about what I want to do. It’s a great time for women actors.
Q. How do you see the change in the landscape of comedy films in recent times?
A. A beautiful aspect of our cinema is that we have different kinds of comedy and each has its own audience. David Dhawan’s films and Stree are two different worlds of comedy. At the same time, there is also evolution happening. Cinema is the reflection of real life. As our country evolves with the evolution of our thought, cinema also evolves that way.
Q. Schitt’s Creek, a sitcom which streams on Netflix, is your favourite TV show. Does your personal likings as an audience influence your choice of films ever?
A. Schitt’s Creek is one of my all-time favourite shows. Like Schitt’s Creek’s collective effort, Stree 2 too has a bunch of terrific actors, very catchy dialogues, lovely writing, a brilliant director, and a great production house. All those forces have come together. Schitt’s Creek is a show which has the collection of all these factors. I was hooked on to it. Definitely contents that inspire and entertain me drive me to think about the kind of work I want to do on-screen. It definitely plays a role consciously or subconsciously in selecting a film to be a part of.
Q. What have been your biggest lessons in all these years in films?
A. I feel there are no fixed rules. I have followed my own rules in my personal journey. Everything that seems conventional, that has not happened with me, is something that has worked in my favour always. I am fearless to walk my own path and dance to my own music because it’s my life. I am always on that path. I have learnt that there is no exclusive way to do something in life. In fact, there are many ways to achieve something. I do things my way and that always works for me. (TWF)
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