Seema without boundaries

Apart from her most compelling performance in Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen, Seema Biswas has played many more powerful roles. But she still waits for roles that would challenge her

January 01, 2015 06:23 pm | Updated January 02, 2015 02:29 pm IST - MADURAI:

PASSIONATE Actor Seema Biswas.  Photo: R. Ashok

PASSIONATE Actor Seema Biswas. Photo: R. Ashok

Even after 20 years, Seema Biswas is remembered for her role in Bandit Queen , the 1994 biographical film based on the life of Phoolan Devi. As the title character, Seema Biswas not only bagged the National Film Award for Best Actress but she also got the kind of publicity that would last her a lifetime.

Though she was the heroine in Hindi film Amshini in 1988, Bandit Queen catapulted her to international fame. And for the last two decades, Seema has been trying to break free from the mould. “I need to conquer a different world,” she says. She did get the opportunity in the musical “ Khamoshi ” two years later in which she played a deaf mute. Her performance was appreciated but people still recognised her – and continue to do so – as the Bandit Queen, even though she tried to stay off similar roles.

“I am proud of the role I played. When I read the script I knew it was just for me,” she says. But as a hard working actor firmly rooted in theatre, Seema refuses to be typecast. “It is a pleasure watching Amitabh Bachchan in different roles. I will not enjoy playing SRK all the time,” she says.

Seema was in Madurai to perform ‘ Jeevito Mrito ”, a Hindi adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s short story directed by Anuradha Kapur. The 55-minute soliloquy that revolves around the life of a widow and questions her existence, Seema says, is her kind of role. “It is all about feelings, getting into the character’s mind, body and soul.” She has staged this monologue over two dozen times all over India and feels it is important to be known for your acting rather than getting slotted for it. “Though acting is my profession, I do not do it for money. Passion is bigger than everything else.”

It is this passion that makes Seema confident of her space in the film industry that is dominated by glamour, beautiful faces, well sculpted bodies and masala films. She vehemently believes that only power-packed performances and hard work help you to fit in anywhere, films, theatre or television. Recently when she attended a Bollywood party, somebody apparently remarked that inspite of her acting calibre, she was not getting more films.

Lamenting the decline of art cinema, Seema feels over-the-hill female actors do not get respect in India and that is what sets them worrying. But it is very important for actors to evolve, she says, and that can happen only when we are willing to take risks in our performances.

She is happy that theatre keeps her busy and alive. Having forayed into television too, Seema is content with the way her acting career has progressed. “Whatever is happening with me now, I am happy because I am not a slave of any situation.”

Seema has acted in Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Punjabi, Gujarati and English films and is, in fact, awaiting the release of her first Assamese film ‘Katha Nadi’ (river story).

Though she does not differentiate between the mediums of acting because according to her, acting is an inner expression of self, Seema finds films to be comparatively tough. There are too many breaks and interruptions in cinema, she says. Purely the director’s media, in cinema you are like a machine doing one scene today and another after a gap. The consistency in your look, body language and voice has to be mentally brought in. In theatre, you are connected with your audience and you start it and finish it in one go. The involvement is of a different level, she adds.

This is the reason why Seema gets nervous before the release of a film because it is difficult to recall how and what you did in between multiple films and plays on hand. Theatre, she points out, I have performed even with broken ribs, sore throat and pain. But as an actor whether I am facing the camera or am on the stage, I enjoy my job regardless of the world around me, she says. “I only have to appeal to my audiences.”

Seema’s desire for that ultimate role remains unfulfilled. That surprise element, will I be able to do this tough role, is what she is still waiting for.

When her family watched Bandit Queen for the first time, there was stunned silence. And her father broke it by saying, “only my daughter could do this role”. But resting on laurels is not Seema’s way of life. “You are only good as your last role,” she asserts, and adds, “but I do not worry and am always hopeful that different roles will keep coming my way.”

Factfile:

Seema Biswas also gave memorable performances in Company, Bhoot, Midnight’s Children, Hazaar Chaurasi ki Maa, Manjunath, Ek Hasina Thi to name a few.

Her latest projects include Rahul Dholakia's Society, with Randhir Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia and Om Puri; Ranjit Kapoor's Jai Ho Democracy, an American film called Sold based on women trafficking and an Australian film Force of Destiny directed by Paul Cox.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.