On Changing Times ft. Shikha Talsania

"There are stories in all the projects I remember fondly. I'm always grateful. For when people show up for you in ways you didn't expect, or when you least expected it." Shikha Talsania, actor on stage and screen and long time Akvariant takes a plunge into the beauty and banality of working as a professional actor today.

I'm going to start with this. You have been interviewed countless times. What is your sense of interviews generally? Do you enjoy them? Do you not enjoy them? Do people ask intelligent questions? Do they not?

I usually go into an interview hopeful that whoever's interviewing me will be interesting and will make me think and make me ask me questions that really make me go, oh, wow, yeah, I haven't thought about that.

But usually they end up… They're okay-okay.

So let me rephrase the question. If you were to talk to a younger person today, who is going in for their first or their third or their fifth interview, what would your advice be?

My advice would be to definitely do a good amount of research, go beyond the first five pages that Google throws at you when you search for references to the person you're interviewing. And I think try to figure out what interests you about that person.

Also, and this is no shade to the interviews that I've given, but I really don't know if anyone really wants to know what my favourite colour is, or what's in my bag or any of those things. It might be entertaining, but then you might want to spend less time on those things and more time on the work or the substance of the person.

At a photo shoot for a web series

And as an interviewee, as a young star, who has their first interview, mainstream interview with some publication, what would you recommend that that person do? As in, how much of yourself is it good to be in an interview?

Well, I would say that a lot of people, and I do it all the time, is when I watch interviews of other people or I listen to interviews of other people. If I can, I pause it and answer it myself, at home alone, or in the car while I'm driving. That's just the way I function.

And as to how much of yourself, it’s wise to be guarded. But don't be afraid to also share those parts of you with the interviewer. Because it's nice to see the real you. Or the version of you that will let your personality shine through. You don't have to become best friends with somebody and say, “Oh, by the way, can I give you gossip?” No, don't be that person.

And it's a different experience for men and women to be interviewed, right? There is a strong spotlight on the kinds of questions that women get asked versus the kinds of questions that men get asked. What’s your take?

100%. The one big disparity that I see is the fact that I don't see men getting questioned about their bodies as much as women do. That seems to be across the globe. Just discussing women's bodies is way more easily discussed and asked. And I don't think men are asked that, that often. Or at all.

And working against it or to make it better is an ongoing process. But because that's the way the world has been for such a long time, it’s taking everyone a long time to overcome the conditioning. Hopefully it becomes more equal and less of a topic of argument or discussion. Although I have no idea how long that could take. But we must continue to fight the good fight, call out the conditioning when we see it or experience it. As many people are doing. And that gives me hope.

This is also a conversation that happens about TV or content programming, isn’t it? The conditioning of the reader who apparently wants to hear the answers to these questions, and the conditioning of the viewer who wants to watch stereotypes playing out, sometimes harmfully.

Oh, wow. That's a great question.

I've always questioned this as well - do we always have to go for the lowest hanging fruit? If you don't give the audience the opportunity to actually enjoy something a little bit more or a little bit deeper, then how will you ever know what the audience is capable of or what you can give them an experience of through your art.

I’ve often wondered if we are just being lazy? Because it's just easier? Do we know if there are actually people who like the banana peel gag ONLY? And over any other forms of humour? Because there have been times where a far more nuanced statement or joke has gotten the reaction that the artist wanted, from an audience that they never expected to get it from.

And I'm not saying that slipping on the banana peel is not funny. It is! But is that all that there is?

Has there been a definite uptick of – for lack of a better world – banality? Because we tend to blame social media and blame the internet and blame TRP, the commodification of art, etc. Has it always been like this, do you think?

The Internal Affairs gang. (L-R): Adhaar Khurana, Shikha Talsania, Hussain Dalal, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Priyanshu Painyuli

You know what I’ve been missing recently? Those campy plays that used to happen earlier that I've seen my parents do and have also been a part of. I was - quite randomly - reminiscing about the fact that there was just such wonderful Gujarati literature and English literature being translated and adapted in Gujarati theatre. And I was missing it.

Camp itself has evolved today, and I rarely see that kind of camp any more. I think it's a collective consciousness that has evolved. There are a lot of jokes that will just not work today. Because I think our awareness has changed for the better, it’s opened up.

In fact, there was a play that I was doing called Internal Affairs. We did it at Akvarious. And it ran for 10 years, 100 shows. From the time we started till we did our 100th show, the way the audience reacted to the jokes had changed. For example, the jokes on homophobia. Or the perspective of the woman. They reacted to these aspects far more differently later than when we began. They didn’t buy into the world that easily. So, we had to work harder to balance our responsibility to the text, our audience's evolved perspectives and being entertaining. But there was clearly a growing up that had happened for everyone around us, regardless of their age.

So. Coming back to this issue of interviews, I remember you and I had a conversation about you being asked about the Prime Minister at some press junket for Veere Di Wedding. Why do you think celebrities get asked about international affairs? Or things that are not connected to the film at all…? Is it a fair question?

I don't think it's a fair question if the intent is to only sensationalise it. Or to just use it as a punch line or a talking point because that's what everybody's talking about.

Because most of the times, it's so out of the blue, you're just like, “What?” You really feel like a deer in headlights. Which is when you put your guard up and wonder where this is coming from and how it might be used out of context or in a way that’s simply not intended.

And my other thought is - Please ask us actors about our opinions because about current affairs or international affairs. Sure. But. Are you asking the rest of the people as well? We are the only people that are getting interviewed about other things in life.

I was asked recently about my opinion on the enforcement of an eight-hour shift while shooting. And I was like, okay, sure. I can have an opinion about it, but are you asking somebody else about it? What about somebody who's not in the arts. Who may have a more or equally informed and valuable opinion on labour laws or ethical workplaces or power dynamics in entertainment.

Ask them also. Then 100% let's talk about current events. But it's usually not that.

So where do you stand on actors or artists being role models? Because there’s an industry that relies on actors ‘selling’ films and so on… But it’s gotten a little warped, you think?

At a reading of As Bees in Honey Drown, with a strong female protagonist.

This whole thing of actors and artists becoming role models, it's a double-edged sword. Because on the one hand, you pedestalize somebody you've never met, whose politics you don't know about. You're only reading through filter after filter after filter what you see in the newspaper or on Instagram. You don't really know what the person has said, let alone feel.

But on the other hand, there are several positive outcomes to role models as well. I feel really humbled and grateful and it really, really warms my heart when people reach out to me and I read it in their DMs. Even if it's something as small as, “I saw your series and I liked it. Where did you buy that skirt from? Because I thought you looked lovely and I have the same body type as you”.

It was really that simple - to be represented on screen or on stage, without a written line of justification as to why you look the way you do is lovely and I hope it's helping people. Because I know it helps me.

How exactly has this representation helped you?

Oh in many ways. For one thing, I look at other actors and I think, that could be me and thank God that she's playing this part or he's playing this part.

It’s also helped me a lot with my own attitude towards my body and where I stand with how much I wanted to disassociate my self-worth from my body as an actor…

Also. I keep looking back and I wanted to stop talking about this at one point – this whole body image and body inclusivity issue. Because I wondered if that was the only thing that people are identifying me for.

And seeing other actors who look like me, and hearing from people who think they look like me, has made me realise No. This is something that we - I - have to keep talking about and it's just going to be a part of me. Because I have a responsibility and I’m in a place of some power to make sure that that conversation stays active. It's as simple as that.

Moving now to the great and varied quantity of roles that you have had. Is there a favourite that you have for the story that it was a part of? Not necessarily for how well you did in it or how well the film or play itself did. But is there a project you are really glad you were a part of because of the story that it told?

On the sets of Shantit Kranti

Shantit Kranti. I thought that story was lovely. And Rafta Rafta. Gentleman's Club.

With all of these (and some other I know I’m forgetting right now!) there was of course the nature of what was being said. But…

Let’s take Shantit Kranti. It was a personal challenge for me to perform in Marathi. And pure Marathi.

So it was really lovely to see my friends - people I've known for a very long time - take the director's chair, or become producers and how beautifully they brought the entire cast and crew together to create a beautiful, supportive and productive environment.

There was so much care. I would ask my co-actors to not improvise, or even if they did, to just give me the cue because that’s what I’d prepared for. And they all understood and were really supportive. They made the effort to put me at ease, while I was struggling to perform well in a language I wasn’t very familiar with.

Oh when I did Scoop with Hansal Mehta. I played Sadhvi Maa, who is a grey, sinister character. And of course she needed to speak pure, unadulterated Hindi. No Urdu words at all. But growing up in Bombay, we don’t realise how syncretic language is in the way we use it. So I was nervous that I would mess up takes because of this.

With Mrunmayee Lagoo

We’re shooting in Baroda where it’s 40-42 degrees. I had to be completely bare faced, no make-up which is another level of vulnerability.

Mrunmayee Lagoo, who was the writer of Scoop, really really changed the game for me. I can’t thank her enough. She didn’t have to, but she came and sat with me, rehearsed the scenes over and over again so I wouldn’t mess up, so I could give it my best shot.

So there are stories like this in all the projects I remember fondly. I'm always grateful. For when people show up for you in ways you didn't expect, or when you least expected it.

The rite of passage that is the school play.

Now coming to the theatre. What was your first role on stage?

Sleeping Beauty. I was Sleeping Beauty in the third grade. That's the first time I did theatre.

That was my first and the most important role for me ever. I had to frolic around, find the spindle and then fall asleep.

And I had to get my own costume. That was great because my mother - also being an actor – and I found a lot of joy in figuring out what the costume would be.

I remember very clearly my cousin brothers making the crown for me. And what I remember the most is how everybody gasped when the prince had to kiss me to wake me up and he kissed my crown. And I was so happy that I had the crown. I don't know why, but that's what I remember.

And what about as an adult? Your first play?

A still from a photo shoot for Mare Aangne Ek Vaar Aavine Toh Jo

So the first professional play I did was a Gujarati play called Mare Aangne Ek Vaar Aavine Toh Jo when I was in second year of college.

And in the same year I did one more professional play called The Graduate. And it was really cool to get that envelope at the end of two shows on a Sunday.

And then, some years later, my first film had come out and I realised I had no idea what to do next. Whom to talk to about auditions or meet people in the theatre or what… And a junior of mine, Danish Khambata from Silly Point called me and said “Hey, listen, we have a show called Four Square. And one of our actors Preetika Chawla is not doing it anymore. I was wondering if you could step in for that, please.” And that set the ball rolling.

I did a film called My Friend Pinto when I met Adhir Bhat, Faisal Rashid and Aseem Hattangady. And we became friends on that shoot. They were doing a lot of work with Akvarious at that point. So, I would tell them that I was very interested and if there was ever a part I could audition for, etc etc.

So when Adhaar Khurana asked them for a recommendation for a play Sometimes, they all suggested my name. That was about 15 years ago, and the rest, as they say, is history.

After 10 or 12 years of acting on stage, what was it like getting to direct a play? Was that ever something you wanted to do or did it just sort of opportunity came and you took it?

All the Behens

I think it was always something I wanted to explore, but I didn't know if I'd be good at it. I didn't have the gumption to really go after it proactively. And the opportunity came my way when I was first asked if Prerna and I would direct Dekh Behen.

There was a lot of comfort in knowing that it was with someone that I've worked with for such a long time. And the fact that it's a shared responsibility. And now, after 7 odd years, I'm really enjoying the discovery of what kind of director I am.

Earlier it was as an actor. "If I was doing this part, I think I would do this." That was my direction or directing style. That's how I was thinking.

And now I can see differently. New thoughts are emerging in my head. New ideas. New ways of approaching a scene. Things to do with music or blocking or timing, even choreographed moments. And it’s really liberating to think outside the actor’s brain. I’ve got a long way to go to arrive at a process I can call mine, that I’m comfortable with. But I’m enjoying the journey.

Curtain call at a show of Sometimes

And finally, what is your wish for Akvarious for the next 25 years?

I'm trying to think of something clever. I hope you keep employing me and… Live long and prosper! That’s not really clever, but I genuinely mean it.

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