The Indian Weekender, Friday 03 July 2020

The Indian Weekender Friday, July 3, 2020
ENTERTAINMENT 19
Sushmita Sen:
I’m an outsider but
was never desperate,
I ensured even the biggest actor
or director didn’t disrespect me
A
rank outsider in the film
industry, Sushmita Sen
explains how her journey
has been somewhat different from
many others.
Referring to the whole outsiderinsider
debate that has come in
spotlight after Sushant Singh
Rajput’s death, the actor admits that
winning the Miss Universe title made
things easier for her. However, she’s
quick to add that wading through
was difficult.
“A lot of young people come from
smaller cities, who live, breathe and
eat cinema. They want to become
actors, directors or follow some
creative pursuit here. The hunger in
them is fantastic, but it often gets
seen as desperation,” points Sen,
adding that everybody then tries to
take advantage of this desperation,
wherever one goes.
While she asserts that fresh talent
has to keep honing their skills, and
trying hard, she warns them to not
make anything look desperate.
“Given the competition in the
industry, this desperation then
becomes too much a pressure. So,
instead of performance, one is judged
by his/her followers on social media
and how many have applaud them.
It’s like if we can market it well,
we can sell anything,” explains the
44-year-old.
Sen, however, never had that
mindset. She clarifies, “I’m an
outsider but I was approached to be
a part films by default because of
the beauty pageant I won. I never
thought of becoming an actor, but
when I took it up, I felt I can learn
and grow.” The actor adds that she
gave her 100% even in her initial
films that didn’t do well.
“May be at that point I wasn’t an
evolved person and it showed on
screen. I take responsibility for that.
I kept working hard, but was never
desperate,” maintains the actor, who
recently made her web debut,” she
says. There was even a point when
Sen thought of pursuing something
else other than acting.
Actress-producer Anushka Sharma says her
early start in showbiz has taught her a lot,
adding that she applies that wisdom in her
personal and professional life every day.
"The story of 'Bulbbul'' is the story of a girl's
journey from innocence to strength and resilience...
and it's a story I'm all too familiar with," she began
her post on Instagram.
Looking back at her journey, she said: "Getting
to be a part of the modelling industry at the young
age of 15 had a lasting impression on me. My
dad was a very big influence, always pushing me
to work harder and sharing positive affirmations
about life and growth."
“But I always knew that whatever
I do, I’ll do it with integrity and
respect. I’ll earn it. I’ve lived my life
in a way where you can’t be in the
same room with me and speak
to me in a language which
is ‘ok’ with a lot of other
people. You could be
the biggest filmmaker
or hero, but you should
show respect,” says Sen,
stressing that this approach
makes her stand out.
Despite having this
uniqueness, she points, many people
lose themselves given the pressure.
“By God’s grace, the industry
invested in me. But the reason I
can continue to work, stay relevant,
is because people wanted it. If they
hadn’t, nothing could have saved
"May
be at that
point I wasn’t an
evolved person and
it showed on screen. I
take responsibility for
that. I kept working
hard, but was never
desperate"
me. I get messages from
fans all over. So there’s
no rush, I’ll continue
to work with
due diligence.
I’ll live with
conviction and my
own terms, sometimes
it’ll be applauded,
sometimes criticised,”
she says adding how it wasn’t easy
to deal with the life-threatening
Addison’s disease.
"From understanding how the industry works
to turning into a producer when I was just 25, I
started Clean Slate Filmz with a vision to tell the
best stories out there. Working with newer faces
and fresh talent has definitely given me a new kind
of perspective. We are all constantly growing,
changing and evolving as humans and there's a
quiet strength to that," she added. The actress said
that she "chose to dive into work when I was a
teenager".
"And I've been growing ever since. The early
start has taught me a lot and I choose to apply that
wisdom in my personal and professional life every
day," she added. The actress made a dream debut in
Abhishek Bachchan reflects on
past failures, says it felt like ‘hell’,
but he could not afford to ‘lament’
Actor Abhishek Bachchan,
who will make his digital
debut with the upcoming
Amazon Prime series Breathe: Into
the Shadows, spoke about coming
from a privileged background, and
the effort it took for him to succeed
as an actor in Bollywood.
In an interview to journalist,
Abhishek recalled an interaction he
had with director Yash Chopra at the
premiere of his first film, Refugee,
and the advice he received.
“Remember, your father brought
you till here,” Yash Chopra told
Abhishek moments before the
screening, “but the moment you
walk into that cinema, and the show
gets over and you walk out, you’re
on your own two feet.”Asked about
the moment he decided to become
an actor, Abhishek said that he
was inspired to take the leap after
watching the Sean Penn film Dead
Man Walking.
“I had already informed my
parents that this was my desire,” he
said. “Once you first overcome the
shyness or awkwardness that you
want to join the films -- especially if
it’s a family business -- you’re still
trying to skirt the issue.
You can’t be practical about this. It
has to be an emotional decision. It’s
all or nothing, it’s do or die. That’s
when I decided it’s either this or
nothing else.” But after the success
of his first film, Abhishek went
through a four-year period where his
movies didn’t do all that well at the
box office.He said it was ‘hell’.
“Everybody has their own journey.
We should never judge somebody
else’s journey. I’ve never liked
to look back and lament, because
there’s a lot to be appreciative
about,” the actor said.
“I have immense respect for any
actor who features in a film, no
matter in what capacity. That period
was very difficult to cope with, it
was very difficult to confront. At the
same time, I was so blessed to be a
part of one film. That’s the dream
of millions of people, so should I be
complaining?
At least I got to make those films,
some people don’t get a chance to
make even one film.” He concluded
by expressing his gratitude to the
fans who’ve supported not only his
work, but also his family’s. He said,
“I’m from this industry, I feel very
protective of this industry. This is
my family business – audiences have
given my family everything that we
have today.”
Anupam Kher: Hope literally sustains life
Actor Anupam Kher is
confident that the world
will survive the deadly
coronavirus pandemic, and says all
one needs to get through it is hope.
"These are the kind of Deja vu pics
the whole world will identify with.
Pics of 102 years old #Pandemic
called #SpanishFlu. Masks, Social
distancing etc," Anupam wrote on
Instagram alongside pictures from
the Spanish Flu outbreak.
"Everything is the same including
the people. Minus the Wifi. But the
world survived. So this too shall
pass. Hope literally sustains life," he
added. Recently, the actor released
his autobiographical play "Kuch Bhi
Ho Sakta Hai" on his new website
to give people some relief and hope
during these stressful times.
Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, directed
by Feroz Abbas Khan, offers a glance
of Anupam's failures, triumphs and
life lessons, as the actor sets out to
depict ordinary people.
Bollywood opposite superstar Shah Rukh Khan in
"Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi".
She launched her production
house Clean Slate Filmz
with her brother Karnesh
Ssharma, and has backed
unconventional stories,
bankrolling films like
"NH10", "Pari", "Phillauri",
the web-series "Paatal Lok",
which was her debut digital
production and which turned out to
be a massive hit and recent supernatural thriller
film "Bulbbul".
"About a month back, I realised
that we had shot Kuch Bhi Ho
Sakta Hai, the play that I have
been doing for the last 15 years. It's
about my failures, disasters...it's an
autobiography. And I laugh at all
those things.
"We had shot the whole play a
few years ago, not for the reason of
putting it up somewhere, but just to
have a record of it. It was done on
HD by professional people. During
this pandemic time, I saw it again
just like that. And I realised that it's
a play about optimism and hope.
It's a play about never giving up,"
Anupam said.
Anushka Sharma: Working with fresh talent gave me new perspective
"And
I've been
growing ever
since. The early start
has taught me a lot and
I choose to apply that
wisdom in my personal
and professional life
every day,"