Meena Iyer (DNA; May 31, 2019)

For someone who hasn’t planned her career, two-time National Award winner Tabu should be congratulated for her 25-year- long run at the movies. Most importantly, she is still being sought after for lead roles in mainstream Hindi movies.

However, if you ask the De De Pyaar De actress any pointed questions about whether she has any secret mantra, she is self-effacing. Instead, she points out how in the last couple of years, she has really made up for lost time and done four to five films almost back-to-back.

‘I’M HUMBLED BY THE LOVE I’VE RECEIVED’
She says, “I can only thank someone up there for this. Everyone, including the media, had complaints about the fact that I do less work. Of course, most of these stemmed out of love. But as you put it, though I didn’t really sit down and chalk out a career plan, things fell into place. I’m grateful and humbled for the love that I have received.”

ON PAR WITH THE HERO
Whether it was in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider (2014) where she played Shahid Kapoor’s mother, Ghazala, Nishikant Kamat’s Drishyam (2015) in which she was Inspector General Meera Deshmukh taking on the protagonist Ajay Devgn, her turn as the seductress killer, Simi Sinha in Sriram Raghavan’s blockbuster, AndhaDhun, (2018) or the most recent example of De De Pyaar De in which she is Ajay’s estranged wife, Manju Rao, Tabu has always been getting roles that are on par with that of the leading man.

She adds, “Frankly, I don’t think of this aspect. I listen carefully to the part I’m offered. If it gives me enough scope, then that’s the only thing I will go by. I remind myself that I should deliver and do what I have to. It is great to hear compliments. But, I never attach myself to praise,” Tabu adds in a matter-of-fact way.

‘MY SISTER (FARAH) THOUGHT I WAS BEING MYSELF (IN ANDHADHUN)’
One of the reasons why Tabu is so grounded is because her family, especially her mother (Rizwana) and her sister (Farah Naaz) don’t let stardom go to her head. She laughs as she recalls their reaction to her in AndhaDhun.

She shares, “Twenty people from my family went to watch the black comedy thriller. The group included my mum, her friends, some cousins and my sister, Farah. My mother’s reaction was the best. We went to dinner later that same night. Most of the people were in raptures. However, throughout, my mother didn’t utter a single word. So, I looked at her directly and asked her why she wasn’t joining in the conversation. To which she turned around and said with a straight face, ‘Tumhara role bahut challenging tha picture mein.’ My sister was even better; she thought I was being myself.”

SRIRAM RAGHAVAN HAS AN EXTRA SHARP MIND
The actress exclaims that working with Sriram has been an immensely educative experience. She says, “Besides having an extra sharp mind, he is so democratic. He doesn’t want to take credit for everything. He is divorced from all these trappings. He allows an actor or a technician to sit and chew his brain for hours on end showing a level of patience that is amazing. Once, I told him, ‘You allow everyone to talk to you too much. I’m also talking so much—why don’t you just shut me up?’ Nevertheless, I am looking forward to working with him and his team again.” Tabu tells us that Sriram also has ‘the craziest sense of humour.’ She narrates, “When my office was undergoing renovation, I was renting the flat opposite him for a few months. One day, he rang the bell and gave me a coffee mug with ‘Padosan’ written on it. He’s funny.”

The reticent Tabu opens up about her career choices
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 9, 2017)

We don't see you often on screen. Are the roles coming your way not good enough?
There are roles coming my way and I have got the best of offers over the years. The people I work with should be established filmmakers and I should cherish the acting experience. I don’t choose films for great roles. I have done fewer films because often what I am offered is something I do not want to do. My approach to selecting films is different.

What do you think before signing a film? Mujhe paisa mil raha hai ki nahi [laughs].
Mujhe paisa mil raha hai ki nahi [laughs]

Is money your priority?
It is, but on a serious note, I should like what is being offered. Otherwise, even if you are paying me any amount, I won’t be a part of it. Also, as you grow in your career, you start being fearless; experience teaches you to test new waters and not be scared.

What have you have become fearless about?
I am not afraid of people anymore. I don’t think too much because I know I can handle most situations. I am not affected by things anymore and I can tackle situations in a better way. I have also started experimenting with the kind of roles that I do. Haider was a risk-taking character, but people today remember me as Ghazala [her character’s name] and not as Shahid Kapoor’s mother.

In most of the films that you have done, invariably the onus lies on you because of the characters that you have played.
That’s why I did Golmaal Again [laughs], there was no added responsibility. Most of the other cast members have been a part of the franchise since its inception. I was like a guest, who would go on the set, enjoy the privileges and make new friends.

Does it get exhausting when you play emotionally draining characters?
There is a huge part of myself when I am playing these characters, especially when I am going through their emotional journey. Films like Drishyam, Hu Tu Tu, Astitva, Maqbool, Chandni Bar and The Namesake took a part of me. Acting is a crazy profession. It takes a toll on every one, that’s why logon ko actors pagal lagte hai. Mentally and emotionally we have to get into a particular zone, come out of it and keep doing it. Most of the time, I can switch off once the camera is off because as an actor when I wrap up a film, I want my responsibility to end there. I don’t like to be accountable because it takes away the joy of my process. I am engaged in the film and the character and that is my journey. I have found my space and I am fortunate that the audience has never rejected me. This is the reason I am still here or else I would have run away long back. Mujhe ek mauka chaiye bhaagne ka [laughs].

You must have been approached with the same kind of roles throughout your career.
Yes, but I have rejected them because I don’t want to be part of a formula. I don’t want to be boring. The films that I mentioned earlier were not done thinking that I will become the poster girl for intense characters. It is the people around you that make you conscious. They started advising me about what I should do and what not. Agar mera ek role hit ho jaata, toh bolte the yehi karo, career ke liye achha hai. But I didn’t take it seriously and did what I felt like.

In the ’90s what was your thought process while choosing films?
I just wanted to look good, wear good clothes, sing songs, dance and romance the heroes [laughs]. Then how did you pick up some powerful roles early in your career? Over a period of time you also want to express yourself. I was subliminally looking for a platform to showcase my talent. I was excited when films like Kaala Paani, Maachis and Chandni Bar came my way. It was like I had found something that I really wanted to do. I am lucky that these films came to me. I was also ready for it. I am always thankful to all the directors who trusted me that I could pull off such roles. I bonded with the people who were involved in making these films. The sheer fact that I have been able to portray various emotions in the characters that I have done is a huge high for me.

Do you ever sit back and watch your films and cringe on some of the roles that you’ve done?
No, never. I don’t dislike any of the films that I have done. Every project has a journey and I never went in it with a plan. But sometimes when I see myself on TV and I am like, ‘Did I do this? Aisa bhi acting karti thi main’ [laughs]. Despite being a part of cinema, I am a non-cinema person. I grew up in Hyderabad and there was a lot of importance towards academics. My sister [Farha] was a movie buff, but I never liked watching films. I had no intention of being an actor. Everything in my life happened by chance, so I don’t assess my work so. It may come across that I have done a lot of thinking because of the films that I have done, but that’s not the case.

If you had to pick one favourite film of yours, which one would it be?
Itna difficult question [thinks]. Hu Tu Tu was a complex role for me and Cheeni Kum’s character is close to my heart. I don’t know if anyone has watched Jaal: The Trap but that is one of my favourite roles [laughs]. I am sure a lot of people will feel it’s an unusual choice but I enjoyed doing the film.

Is there a director who you can never say no to?
Vishal [Bhardwaj] is someone who I can collaborate on any film because I trust him implicitly. I heard two scenes of Haider and said yes to the film. Even if he had not narrated me the script, I would have done it. I know that he would come to me only if it is worth my time.

Have you ever done a film, just to be a part of it?
I think I can say that about Life Of Pi. The character did so much justice to me that it wasn’t like that I did it just because I wanted to work with Ang Lee. When I saw his film, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. I was stunned. I wanted to meet him. So when I got an email from his team that he wanted to meet me I started dancing [laughs]. It turned out to be one of the most loved films of my career.

Would you like to do more films in the West?
I think I have done two of Hollywood’s better movies [The Namesake and Life Of Pi] and both of them happened without any agents or me trying hard. I don’t really like to run or pursue anything until it happens organically. I’m sure Hollywood se bhi offers aayenge.