Having made a mark for herself in her critically-acclaimed portrayal of a girl raised as a boy in the Irrfan Khan-starrer Qissa, actor Tillotama Shome moves to television. She’s currently introducing and presenting a collection of documentaries on Epic Channel’s new show Drishti that explores India’s diversity. While shooting in Rajasthan for a film, the actor talks about her new TV venture, the work she did in New York with prisoners and about her upcoming movie directed by Konkona Sen Sharma.
Tell us about Drishti
When the director of the show, Henna called me and asked me if I wanted to do something like this, I jumped on the idea. Not because I have a fascination for documentaries, but because the reality in which we are living is changing so rapidly. Our way of representing it should also change. I felt that bringing documentaries to the national TV was like bringing a new way of looking at things. It is not about it being right or wrong. I don’t want to get into the comparison between feature films and documentaries. I think our time demands an innovative way of looking at life. These documentaries are showing India in a new way and I wanted to be a part of that.
Tell us about your work in New York with people on issues such as violence and sexual abuse
I was working in New York but left it six years ago and moved to Mumbai. We used drama as a tool for education and communication for prisoners and women in domestic violence centres. Working with both male and female inmates, I have realised that the line between innocent and guilty is a very fine one. You are lucky to not be on the other side. Sometimes, all it takes is a little push for someone to do something that may land them in jail. We used theatre to communicate stories.
You may not be able to confront someone directly and tell them what they are doing is wrong; that is too direct and preachy.
A lot of my friends think that documentaries are boring and we should use drama to educate people. But the validity of documentaries, drama and feature films depend on how you are communicating through it.
At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is the profundity of interpretation. How were you shown something? Was it profound? Did it impact you? All these things matter. That is the point of consideration for any art form.
Are you planning to do something similar in India?
No, as of now I have no plan of doing any such thing in India. I am here to do films and will do films that can make the unfamiliar familiar to me.
Tell us about the film you are working on
I am shooting for an untitled movie directed by Neel Madhab Panda in Rajasthan’s scorching heat. It has been a very humbling experience. I have great co-actors like Sanjay Mishra and Ranvir Shorey working in this movie.
Tell us about your experience working with Konkona Sen Sharma
Konkona is a very dear friend and the fact that she is doing her own movie is a matter of great joy and celebration. The movie is called A Death In The Gunj and is a-coming-of-age story.
It was wonderful to see my friend make this film. I am yet to watch the final cut. Gulshan Devaiah and I play a couple in the movie and our chemistry was really something that a lot of people looked at and said that it looks like both of you are married for years. It is wonderful to have that kind of camaraderie with actors.
Drishtiairs from Monday to Friday at 9 p.m.
