After ‘Hunkkaar: The Roar’ and the upcoming ‘Teen Kauwe’, we’ll see Fatima Sana Shaikh in a crime action drama. mid-day has learnt that the actor has shot for a special appearance in Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Police Company’.

With Harshvardhan Rane playing Mumbai encounter specialist Daya Nayak, the film is being mounted as a gritty account of the Mumbai Police Detection Unit in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and its battle with the underworld.

While ‘Police Company’ rolled in August, a source close to the production revealed that Shaikh shot her portions in September. “Fatima’s appearance in the film is brief, but crucial to the plot. It’s not a token cameo. There were only a few people on set the days she shot, including her body double,” said the source.

Varma has envisioned ‘Police Company’ as a two-part offering. We’ve heard that Shaikh may have a meaty role in the second part. The source added, “Her track reveals an important aspect in the story. That’s why her casting hasn’t been announced.”

mid-day reached out to Varma, who didn’t respond till press time.

On paper, Fatima Sana Shaikh’s character of ACP Jasleen Singh Soin was wafer-thin. Yet, the actor gave her nod to Hunkkaar - The Roar for a simple reason. She knew there was enough scope to flesh her character out, thanks to creators Nitya Mehra and Karan Kapadia.

“This is my first cop role. What profession you play is not important, your character’s motive is. Here, I knew there was a scope of a conversation between the makers and me to flesh out the character,” she began.

The JioHotstar series sees Shaikh’s cop investigate a case where a minor, portrayed by Aneet Padda, accuses a spiritual guru of sexual assault. The actor considers it one of her most creatively enriching experiences as the makers treated her as an equal. But that hasn’t been Shaikh’s experience in every room.

She elaborated, “In the same room, where they say they want you to play a strong part and lead a female-oriented project, they don’t want to hear your voice. So, the irony is that they want you to play a character who has a voice, but they don’t want you to voice your opinion.” 

The patriarchal attitude extends to women artistes too. Shaikh noted that many female artistes distance themselves from feminism. “Feminism is looked at as an abuse by them. It’s shocking that there are actresses who say they aren’t feminists. By being a feminist, I’m not snatching away a man’s rights; I’m just asking for equal rights for myself,” she said, before praising Priyanka Chopra.

“Priyanka Chopra calls herself a feminist and has a huge male fan base. If your intention is clear and you aren’t dumb about it, people will listen to you.”

Fatima Sana Shaikh isn’t shy about admitting she wants stardom. But for her, recognition means little without work that challenges her. Even after earning acclaim for performances across films and streaming projects, she says she is still searching for roles that push her beyond her comfort zone.

“For female actors, the range of roles available is still quite limited. We’re craving layered, grey and negative characters. I still haven’t found something that completely satisfies that need to explore and truly challenge myself as an actor,” she says.

That pursuit, she believes, is essential to survive in the industry. “Because I think if that ends, then your growth is stunted. That’s the beauty – or the drawback – of this industry. It’s Friday to Friday. No matter where you are in your career, you have to start again,” she says.

In an industry where validation is never in short supply, Fatima says she values people who keep her grounded.

“I wish I had at least one person in my life who would just say I’ve done a great job,” she laughs. “My manager tells me ten things what I’ve not done right, and that’s good. These are the people who are my reality check. They are my mirrors. If I don’t have them, then I don’t know… it’s not a good place to be in. It’s a nice bubble to live in where people think you’re amazing, but it’s a bubble. It’s not that they are working for me; I am working for them. It’s a relationship,” she adds.

For all her emphasis on craft, Fatima is candid about wanting a wider audience. She says, “Everybody wants stardom. It’s basically people appreciating your work – a lot of people appreciating your work. They connect with you, either off screen or on screen, and you become someone they relate to or aspire to. I want to be that person. I hope I find my tribe and touch enough lives to receive that kind of love. But that can only happen with hard work, destiny and luck. You have to find the right film, the right thing.”

The Dangal actress admits she is rarely satisfied with her own work. “I’m never happy with my performance. I feel I’m not good enough — but that helps me, though not in a self-deprecating way anymore,” she shares.

Fatima recalls a time when self-doubt became counterproductive, affecting both her growth and mental health. Over time, however, she has learned to channel it differently.

“Earlier, it used to really stop me from being a better version of myself. It would affect my mental health. It would stop me from growing, from taking risks. Now that has shifted. I’m still questioning myself. I’m still not happy with whatever I do. But now, at least, it’s in a positive way. I’m taking that self-doubt to propel myself as an artiste rather than to put myself down,” says Fatima, who was last seen in Gustaakh Ishq opposite Vijay Varma.

Nearly two decades after Taare Zameen Par made him one of the most memorable child actors in Indian cinema, Darsheel Safary is still closely associated with the film that touched millions. But the actor says he is not trying to run away from that image — he is simply waiting for the next role that can leave a similar impact.

Speaking about growing up in the shadow of an iconic debut, the 29-year-old says the audience’s perception will only change with the kind of work he chooses.

“I don’t know what people think. It’s about the work that I bring to the table — that is what the reaction depends on, frankly,” he says. “Taare Zameen Par is that kind of film from which it will be difficult to break away naturally. Even today, people talk about it and there are discussions around it.”

Rather than distancing himself from the film, Darsheel says he sees it as the foundation of his journey. “Now that I’ve grown up, I’m looking at another such project for myself — something that makes me memorable for the next 20 years. It’s not about people not being able to break out of that image, it’s about what you are giving and what you’re getting back in return.”

The actor, who has been busy with theatre, says every former child artiste eventually waits for that one defining role that changes how audiences see them.

Referring to actors like Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sara Arjun, he says, “They gave their Dangals, they gave their Dhurandhars afterwards. Back then, they were familiar faces — you knew they existed. But when they came out with that one project, everything changed.”

Darsheel, who will soon be seen in an international project with Priya Mani Raj, also reveals that the past few years have been transformative. “It’s been an introspective journey. I’ve tried to understand why I want to be an actor. There was a phase where I did some really questionable work. But then I started working with filmmakers like Suparn Varma, Anand Mahadevan, Abhinay Deo and Subhash Kapoor. I was also busy with theatre. The closer I got to myself, the closer I got to acting.”

Last Monday (September 22), we had exclusively reported that Fatima Sana Shaikh was never cast in director Madhur Bhandarkar’s upcoming film The Wives, despite earlier buzz linking her to the project.

The filmmaker eventually went ahead with actors Regina Cassandra, Sonali Kulkarni, and Mouni Roy in lead roles. And the shoot has already been wrapped.

“The reports around her casting were untrue. She never signed the film or was roped in to play one of the wives,” Bhandarkar (57) had told us at the time.

Now, we have learnt that Fatima (33) has also stepped away from another studio-backed film that Bhandarkar was set to direct. A source reveals, “Fatima Sana Shaikh has walked out of the project. The two had even planned to announce their association at an award show earlier this year, but the plan didn’t materialize. The film is now shelved.”

This development marks the second missed collaboration between the actor and the National Award-winning filmmaker.

We reached out to the studio but they refused to comment on the matter.

Fatima Sana Shaikh has had a busy July with two back-to-back releases — Metro…In Dino and Aap Jaisa Koi. Both the films explored love in different ways. Talking about her tryst with love stories, the actor quips, “I’m living my love life through my films.”

In both the films, her character was battling for a relationship of equals. Ask about it, and she says, “Equality in a relationship is very important. I wouldn’t want my partner to change me or vice versa. Two people get attracted to each other because of who they are. That’s why it’s important to first respect each other, and once that happens, everything is fine.”

In Aap Jaisa Koi, she stars alongside R Madhavan, a character with a patriarchal mindset. Fatima asserts that “it’s not only women”, but also men who suffer because of it: “So many men are in toxic relationships. But when they come out with their stories, they are ridiculed. That is also due to patriarchy, as [the belief is that] boys are not supposed to cry and they can’t complain. So, even men face the wrath of patriarchy.”

The recent feud between actor Deepika Padukone and filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga over the film Spirit raised a debate that when female actors make demands, they are termed unprofessional. Ask Fatima if she feels that women taking a stand for themselves ruffles the feathers of male bigwits, and the 33-year-old agrees.

But she adds that things are changing: “The understanding of what a woman thinks is changing, as there are more working women now. The perception about how a woman should be like and what kind of roles she should do is also changing. Now, we can imagine a woman as a villain too. Earlier, there would only be men antagonists.”

Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh recently opened up about a traumatic incident where she was physically assaulted after confronting a man who touched her inappropriately in public. The experience left a lasting impact on her.

Fatima recounted the harassment: “Once, a man touched me inappropriately, and I hit him. But he hit me back so hard that I was fully down. I only hit him because he touched me, but that pissed him off, and he hit me to the point that I fell.”

The incident was a wake-up call. She told Hautterfly, “After that incident, I got a little more cautious. I realized that we also have to check how to react in such situations. But look at the irony...something wrong is happening with us, and we only have to think about how to react to it.”

The 33-year-old also shared another harassment episode during the Covid-19 lockdown. While cycling in Mumbai with a mask on, a tempo driver persistently honked and made “weird sounds,” following her until she turned into her lane.

The way Fatima Sana Shaikh was offered Metro…In Dino could be a scene straight out of one of Anurag Basu’s slice-of-life films — imagine the lead character getting an all-important phone call, but being unable to hear anything due to poor network.

“When Dada [Basu] called to talk about Metro, he started describing the story and my character. Because of poor network, I could hardly hear him. I could only catch random words like ‘this girl, that boy’. So, I kept saying, ‘Hmmm,’” laughs Shaikh, as she recalls the episode. At the end of the patchy call, she agreed to do the film. She explains, “I didn’t need a narration. With him, you surrender.”

This faith comes from having worked with Basu on Ludo (2020). That was enough for Shaikh to know that the filmmaker doesn’t waste his actors. That’s one of the reasons he could put together the impressive ensemble cast — Neena Gupta, Anupam Kher, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Sara Ali Khan — for Metro...In Dino.

“Big or small, all his characters have depth. He never wastes an actor. Also, he won’t mislead you, saying, ‘Itna bada character hai.’ He is honest,” says Shaikh.

What adds to the joy is the director’s unusual way of shooting that relies on actors’ spontaneity. “We went to the set and discovered the story. It’s not that he doesn’t have a script. He chooses not to share it because he doesn’t want his actors to read it so many times that their performance gets set.”

Shaikh was last seen in Sam Bahadur (2023). In the last two years, the actor has not only shot for multiple projects, but also become more “open”.

“Earlier, I wasn’t very confident as an actor. So, I was apprehensive to take up women-led stories. I feared that I may not be able to shoulder them. Now, my approach has changed. I think about how much fun it would be to play a character that is out of my depth.”

She has also become clearer about what to reject. “If the character is vanilla, no matter how good the film is, I say no. I’ve turned down big films because I felt the character was one-note. What’s the point of doing projects if I’m not growing as an actor?”

While Fatima Sana Shaikh had a very busy 2024, the audience didn’t see her on the big screen or on OTT all through last year. However, the Dangal actress is unperturbed by the waiting game.

She explains, “When you are shooting, your mind stays focused on the work, so you don’t stress. But when you’re sitting at home with no shooting schedule, that’s when the panic sets in. The release of a project isn’t in the actor’s hands—it depends on so many factors. We can only keep shooting and moving forward. I worked a lot in 2024, and I want to see how people perceive me when my projects release this year.”

Talking about the kind of work that inspires her, Fatima says, “With the kind of work I am doing now, I want to see if there’s a shift or a change in the way I’m positioned. I have bigger dreams for myself, but it’s not about stardom. I want to do films that transcend borders and leave a deep impact, not just emotionally, but also in a way that a film like Andaz Apna Apna had on people.”

Apart from Metro… In Dino, she will also be seen in the romantic comedy Aap Jaisa Koi with R Madhavan, among other projects.

Fatima also believes that actors like Anushka Sharma and Konkona Sen Sharma made a smart move by branching into production, and she hopes to follow suit in the future. “Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha are also producing some amazing projects. Actors need to think this way because sometimes we don’t get the opportunities we want. So, we have to create our own,” she says.

Fatima doesn’t hesitate to approach producers if the project excites her. “I am trying to collaborate with people, but the market is tough right now. There are a lot of projects out there, but they’re not the ones that attract me. I’m realistic about myself, my talent, and my positioning. I know what I can offer to a producer. I can’t expect them to invest Rs. 100 crore in me. I sometimes chase projects I’m passionate about.”

Dangal was a breakout film for both Fatima and Sanya Malhotra, and the two became good friends after working together. However, as their careers grew, they both went down different paths.

When asked if there’s ever been a sense of rivalry, jealousy or competition between them, Fatima says, “There is always some level of competition and insecurity in life. I understand that people feel jealous, but how you handle that jealousy defines you. Of course, if a role I want goes to her, I could feel jealous or insecure. But I don’t let my insecurities take over. I’m genuinely happy for Sanya.”

You’ll see me a lot this year,” promises R Madhavan when we call him to speak about Hisaab Barabar. The ZEE5 thriller is his first project of what will be a busy year, with De De Pyaar De 2, a rom-com with Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Dhurandhar in the pipeline. Incidentally, each of his characters is different.

“I want to do roles that I can relate to. I’ve had such varied life experiences that I know how a railway man behaves, as well as how someone in Decoupled [2021] does. My wife says, ‘You’ve done a comedy in English, dramas in English and Tamil, and action. Why can’t you make up your mind about who you are?’ That’s exactly who I am, someone who can’t make up their mind,” he laughs.

What drew Madhavan to Hisaab Barabar, also starring Kirti Kulhari and Neil Nitin Mukesh, is the story’s relatability. Ashwini Dhir’s directorial venture revolves around how a ticket collector uncovers a bank scam.

“History has seen that the moment the regime starts derailing the common man’s life, [he will fight back]. This has been explored beautifully in the film,” shares the actor. 

After Hisaab Barabar, Madhavan will star alongside Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna and Arjun Rampal in Dhurandhar. The actor’s filmography is peppered with ensemble films despite the industry’s perception that they pose a risk to one’s stardom. Mention this, and he simply says,

“Imagine all the ensemble films that I’ve done. Now, imagine me not doing a Rang De Basanti [2006], or 3 Idiots [2009] or Vikram Vedha [2017]. Whose loss would it have been? Even though my role in Rang De Basanti was only for nine minutes, being part of such projects adds to my immortality as an actor. In 3 Idiots, I was playing second fiddle to Aamir Khan. But it didn’t upset my stardom in Tamil [cinema]. These are barriers that people in the industry draw around themselves to protect their own insecurities. I don’t have such insecurity.”

Madhavan recalls being advised against being a part of Anbe Sivam (2002) with Kamal Haasan. “Everyone said, ‘He is not known to share credit.’ But he bent over backwards to make sure that I got the role of a lifetime,” he recounts.

There is a new romance brewing in the city, albeit for the cameras. Only last month, it was reported that R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh were set to team up for a love story. Now, mid-day has learnt that the project has gone on floors. So, what is the actors’ maiden collaboration all about? From what we’ve heard, it’s a May-December romance of sorts, with Madhavan’s character coming across a younger woman on a dating app. Sources tell us that it is tentatively titled Tharki.

Director Vivek Soni, who previously helmed Sanya Malhotra and Abhimanyu Dassani-starrer Meenakshi Sundareshwar (2021), is offering a light-hearted take on the unusual love story.

An insider reveals, “Madhavan plays a virgin, who is in his mid-40s. He comes across Fatima’s character, a woman in her early 30s, on a dating app, and how the two fall in love forms the crux of the story. It’s a quirky and contemporary take on the relationship.”

The cast includes Namit Das, who plays the protagonist’s close friend, and Karan Wahi in a special appearance. While the film rolled in Mumbai in early November, the unit’s next stop will be Kolkata in December. The OTT film, produced by Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment, will find a home on Netflix. 

Tharki marks Madhavan’s return to the rom-com genre almost a decade after Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015). “Madhavan’s fans in the Hindi audience have always enjoyed his romantic comedies, be it the Tanu Weds Manu franchise or Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein [2001] that found a wide fan base over the decades. Tharki will be the perfect payoff for them, after his intense portrayals in Shaitaan and Rocketry: The Nambi Effect [2022]. In fact, he will also be seen in another romantic comedy, De De Pyaar De 2, but the love story won’t be centred on his character,” adds the source.

Shaikh, meanwhile, also has Anurag Basu’s Metro...In Dino in the pipeline.

Fatima Sana Shaikh, who was last seen in Sam Bahadur, is glad she got an opportunity to share screen space with Konkona Sen Sharma in her upcoming film, Anurag Basu’s Metro… In Dino.

The actress is hugely inspired by the latter’s career trajectory, who excels in front of the camera and has also shown her flair for direction (with A Death In The Gunj and The Mirror in the anthology Lust Stories).

“I aspire to have a career path like Konkona’s. Unhone kaise apna career dhoonda, woh mujhe pasand hai. She is also a good director,” she says.

Fatima hopes that in the near future, she gets a chance to be directed by Konkona. She says, “I have told Konkona to cast me in her next film because, with some people, you just know that you are in safe hands. She is such a good actor, and I think she would guide me in the right direction. I always seek directors who I know will help me push my boundaries as an actor. So that is what I crave, and I know that Konkona can be that kind of a director. Hence, I have been telling her.. ki likh yaar script likh, direct kar and cast me in it. I am free.”

Good things take time. It’s particularly true of filmmaker Anurag Basu whose movies, though often delayed, are worth the wait. His next, Metro... In Dino—starring Sara Ali Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Konkona Sensharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ali Fazal, Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta—was to release on March 29. Now, mid-day has learnt that the ensemble drama has been postponed, as the team has almost a month’s shoot remaining.

The sequel to Basu’s beautiful Life in a Metro (2007) was originally slated to hit the marquee on December 8, 2023. However, last July, the makers announced that the release was pushed to March 29, 2024. Now, a March date with the audience is off the table.

A source reveals, “Anurag, who has written the script with Samrat Chakraborty, is a maverick filmmaker known to take his time to complete a movie. His method is unique where he likes to spend time with actors, helping them understand their scenes and characters better. At the same time, he is all about spontaneity, and often gives them dialogues a few hours before the shoot, or reimagines scenes during filming. Most actors love working with him as it’s a creatively fulfilling experience. On Metro... In Dino, he has a 30-day shoot pending. Nobody wants to rush Dada’s process.”

Buzz also suggests that Basu will re-shoot some portions as he isn’t happy with the rushes, and that music director Pritam hasn’t composed any songs yet. Producer Bhushan Kumar, however, dismisses the rumours as “untrue.”

He says, “We have only 30 days of songs and [talkie portions] left to shoot, which we will complete in March-April. Obviously, we won’t be able to release the film on March 29. We have not announced a new date yet. It has been tough getting combination dates of so many artistes. The film has six to seven songs, and Pritam has already started giving us some tracks.”

Confirming that the anthology has been postponed, Basu says, “I have not yet shot with Ali Fazal and Fatima Sana Shaikh. So, I am finishing their story and songs with other actors. I’d like to add that contrary to speculation, I have never re-shot anything for any of my films.”

An old picture of actor Fatima Sana Shaikh where she has an uncanny resemblance with cricketer Shubman Gill from her breakthrough role as wrestler Geeta Phogat from Dangal (2016) is doing the rounds on the internet. “Gill is a good-looking guy”, says Shaikh, who is happy to join in on the fun and doesn’t mind the comparison.

The 31-year-old confesses that when her friends saw the posts online, they tagged her and made a lot of fun of her. “Yes, I saw the post. There is a resemblance and I can’t even deny it. All my friends tagged me on it. I was not spared. It was so funny,” she jokes, adding, “Mereko bura nahi laga. There was nothing wrong in it,” she says.

The actor, who was recently seen alongside actor Vicky Kaushal in Sam Bahadur, says she has been compared to many famous people in her life. “People have come up to me and said that I look like (politician) Priyanka Gandhi and (actor) Katrina Kaif. I think, everybody has around 10 doppelgangers in the whole world, so, I’m not surprised I look like different people. Sometimes I joke, ‘Main toh bachi hi nahin’,” she tells us.

For Shaikh, this picture going viral seven years after the film came out, is special as it proves the audience still remembers her performance and her role from the movie. “Imagine, people have such vivid memories about my character from Dangal. It is so strong that they were able to instantly point out the similarity, I was happy about it,” she ends.

"Which Bollywood celebrity needs to go to a shrink?' used to be one of the questions on a celebrity chat show's infamous rapid-fire segment. The question was an attempt to put down people who take therapy. With evolution of time, that mockery mindset has also evolved. In recent times, several Bollywood actors have opened up about opting for therapy to deal with mental health issues.

In an exclusive chat with BT, Fatima Sana Shaikh speaks about why it is important to seek help when needed. “I have gone in for therapy, and that’s why I am here one-and-a-half years later. It is important. I feel everybody should go in for therapy. It’s not because you are emotionally weak, they (therapists) give you tools to understand your pattern. Therapy has helped me. Our minds are complicated. Even if you think you don’t need it, you should try it to discover yourself,” Fatima shares.

From being overly self-critical to being pragmatic, Fatima says she has come a long way. “I was very judgmental about myself. I have not been kind to myself. I needed a lot of validation from the outside to feel that I was good as a person. I associated self-love with narcissism and was extremely hard on myself,” she confesses. It has taken the actress a while to change her thought process. So, is she kind to herself now? “I have to practice it. I am kinder to myself than I used to be. It’s a pattern that you have to break. You keep going back to it, but you need to keep pushing,” she replies.

While it may be easier for her to talk about her therapy today, she reveals that it is a “process”. She shares, “It took me four years to find a therapist and be open about it. I used to think therapist ko mere problem ke baare mein kya pata hoga. First, you need to understand that it’s okay to seek help. That’s the beginning and it’s going to be very difficult. We are considered weak when we ask for help. I also had people around me who went for therapy. I had the influence of people who had great knowledge and they had great therapists. It was because of them that I was forced to explore, and then I just got curious. I wanted to decode myself to know who I am.”

Fatima Sana Shaikh recently revealed that she suffered an epileptic seizure on the set of her recent road-trip buddy drama Dhak Dhak. “It’s not a big event for me because I live with it. I have seizures and then I carry on with work. Of course, it’s difficult for somebody else to see — they care about me. Not many people have seen it happening, so, for them, it can be very traumatic,” says Shaikh, adding, “I am touched that Dia (Mirza, her co-star) cared because a lot of people don’t have the awareness. The person who goes through the episodes knows how difficult it is.”

Stressing that even though people on set were supportive, Shaikh says that the seizure struck when she insisted on finishing a shot without a break. “But if I had taken a break, we wouldn’t have gotten the shoot done. Woh location chala jata,” explains the Ajeeb Daastaans (2021) actor.

Asked if the condition has ever caused a major problem for her at work, and the 31-year-old shares, “I’ve never faced it in the film industry. People have been extremely supportive. You tell them that you have a problem and they will help you. Beyond anything, your craft is most important. Everybody has some baggage or injuries and they keep showing up.”

“I was super excited when I heard I had to ride a motorbike in Dhak Dhak. It would mean that I could overcome a fear, and also fulfill a lifelong dream,” says Dia Mirza, who at 41, learned how to ride a geared two-wheeler for the road trip movie.

In the film, which released last week, four women set out on a journey of self-discovery through the highest motorable pass in the world, Khardung La in Ladakh. The cast also includes Ratna Pathak Shah, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Sanjana Sanghi, and has been produced by Tapasee Pannu.

Striding the two-wheeler revived memories of Mirza’s late father. She was born in Hyderabad to a German father and a Bengali mother; Frank Handrich passed away when she was just nine years old. “I remember sitting with dad on his bike, holding him,” she says, “I was very young then, and ever since he passed, I’ve wanted to ride. But I’ve never even tried… maybe I was scared. So, this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. It was also a powerful story about women searching for freedom, so it all tied in well together.”

In his cult 1974 book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, author Robert M Pirsig writes, “The real cycle you’re working on is a cycle called yourself.”

Mirza would concur. “We learnt how to find our centre of gravity, handle the weight, the theory of brake and clutch, how to shift the gears… but it’s been a lot about inner work [too].”

The first day Mirza faced the machine, a Royal Enfield 350 cc, she was intimidated by its size. Understandably. It weighs about 180 kg. “As a part of the script… I play a mechanic… I had to lift the bike to put it on the main stand. Fatima had to do it to. It took a lot of strength, and I had aches and pains for a while. I even strained my wrist. I discovered muscles I never knew I had,” she laughs.

She’s never been more grateful to her fitness regimen. “Yoga and strength training are important if you want to even attempt this,” she says, “Flexibility and strength. Ratna has been doing yoga for years now, so whenever she fell, and she fell a lot, she would spring back [up]!”

Soon, the entire cast got the hang of it. “Once you are on the bike, balance comes naturally. We started riding in 48 hours, but trained for a month and kept riding every chance we got. We had to get used to the traffic, bumps… It’s all about building confidence.”

Process aside, Mirza links taming the motorcycle to your state of mind. “The first thing is to overcome anxiety,” she says, “Balance depends on your heartbeat—if its slower, you balance better. So one needs to just believe.”  And of course, the whole cast always wore safety gear

We have to ask here—once all is done and they are riding—does it feel meditative? “You said it,” she responds quickly, “It was meditative. We were in Ladakh, surrounded by infiniteness, feeling extremely finite. There’s a sense of oneness with nature…. I would think that’s how you feel when you fly. It’s an open experience… all the elements are accessible to you. You feel the wind, rain, and terrain… it’s humbling.”

Mirza says the whole adventure of getting atop a bike is different for women. “It’s always been linked to masculine strength. When we get on a motorbike, I feel we are overcoming intergenerational inequality and fear. It’s just so liberating. I think everyone who watches this movie should draw inspiration to [overcome their fears and] pursue their potential. Anything is possible at any age, at any stage. Nothing empowers you more than yourself.”

Fatima Sana Shaikh’s latest release Dhak Dhak is a tale of sisterhood. To the actor, sisterhood could well be the off-camera theme of her next, Sam Bahadur. Meghna Gulzar’s directorial venture, after all, reunites Shaikh with her Dangal (2016) co-star Sanya Malhotra. But while their debut film saw them share several scenes together, Sam Bahadur has left her wishing for a full-fledged film with Malhotra. 

“I am aching to do a film where we have a lot of interactions because she is an incredible actor,” she smiles.

Their friendship is a fitting answer to the industry that revels in pitting contemporaries against one another. To Shaikh, comparisons with Malhotra are only background noise.

“Recently, Sanya and I were discussing that two actors might begin their careers together, but their journeys won’t ever be the same. Our choices will be different depending on where we come from. Initially I used to wonder why they were comparing us. But I am content where I am, knowing I am here because of my choices. I have to be kind to myself because if I am not, then I am putting myself down. That’s something I won’t do.”

In the seven years since the sports drama, the actor has come a long way, building a diverse filmography. While her film choices are guided by instinct, she attributes her work ethic to mentor-friend Aamir Khan. Spending time with him on the sets of Dangal and Thugs Of Hindostan (2018) has been a learning in itself.

“When Sanya and I started our careers, he was such a professional on set. Seeing his strong work ethics, we also developed that. When you see a star behaving in such a sincere manner, you realise that being there on time and learning your lines is the least an actor can do.”

These years have also taught her the value of having dependable friends in the cut-throat industry. She feels lucky in that regard, counting Khan, Anurag Basu, Shonali Bose and Anil Kapoor among her well-wishers. The actor, who is reuniting with Basu for Metro… In Dino, reveals the director helped her become less critical of herself.

She recalls, “Dada has helped build my confidence. When I did Ludo [2020], I used to criticise myself a lot. I’d keep saying that I am not a good actor. But Dada kept on saying, ‘Don’t be so harsh on yourself. You are good.’ Then I felt that if Anurag Basu was saying this, there must be something in me.”

It’s not often that you get it all—a best friend, a mentor of sorts and a lifetime of memories —on one movie set. But Fatima Sana Shaikh found that rare mix on the set of Dhak Dhak. On reading the script of Tarun Dudeja’s directorial venture, she knew she had to join the Ratna Pathak Shah, Dia Mirza and Sanjana Sanghi-starrer that revolves around four women on a journey of self-discovery.

“If I vibe with a director, I want to work with him/her, and Tarun is a lovely guy. He gave his all for this film. He was my best friend on the set,” begins Shaikh.

What made the experience richer was the talented cast. Sharing screen space with a veteran like Shah was akin to a masterclass in acting. “She gives [valuable] suggestions. Since she has been performing for years and is also a director, her understanding of acting is so deep. Whenever she talks, I feel I have to take notes,” she laughs, before heaping praise on Mirza.

“The whole country has a crush on Dia Mirza. As an actor, I want to be as good with my craft as they are.”

Shaikh will end the year with the December release, Sam Bahadur. She had more reasons than one to be part of the biopic on the late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw—from the opportunity to play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, to incredible co-stars in Vicky Kaushal and Sanya Malhotra. But to her, it is the result of her love for director Meghna Gulzar’s work.

“When you see her on set, you understand what a genius she is, just on the basis of the amount of information she can retain. She is smart, detail-oriented and so sure about what she wants.”

Having one Gulzar film on her résumé is not enough for Shaikh, who has an odd request for the director, known for her sensitive dramas. “I keep joking with her, ‘Next time, you have to direct me in an item number.’ She tells me, ‘You don’t know what you are asking for,’” she laughs.

In her seven-year journey in the movies, Shaikh has been part of several acclaimed projects, including Ludo (2020) and Modern Love: Mumbai (2022). But the success of her debut film, Dangal (2016), stands out. Does she ever feel the pressure of topping the Aamir Khan-starrer?

“I can’t compete with how Dangal has impacted people. The only thing I can do is be a better actor than I was then. I was part of something very special, and such things don’t happen too often. Dangal will never be a shackle for me.”