Showing posts with label Tannishtha Chatterjee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tannishtha Chatterjee. Show all posts
We’ve used our experiences, Tannishtha Chatterjee’s as a cancer survivor and my experience of caregiving-Sharib Hashmi
9:23 AM
Tannishtha Chatterjee and Sharib Hashmi turn Stage 4 diagnoses and caregiving into a musical comedy that will not let pain have the last word. Laughter, for them, is now a lifeline
Pallabi Dey Purkayastha (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 21, 2026)
There’s something audacious about making people laugh while your body is at war with itself. Tannishtha Chatterjee knows this intimately. Midway through chemotherapy infusions last year, she’d ring up friends - musicians, actors, stand-up comedians - and turn the IV drip sessions into impromptu comedy hours. The laughter didn’t cure the cancer, but it made survival feel less like endurance and more like defiance.
Now, that instinct has crystallized into Breast Of Luck, a musical comedy playing at Mumbai’s G5A on 29 and 30 January. Written and performed by Tannishtha and Sharib Hashmi, directed by Leena Yadav, the play mines the darkest corridors of illness and emerges with something unexpected: joy.
Tannishtha, who revealed her Stage 4 oligometastatic cancer diagnosis in mid-2025, and Hashmi, whose wife Nasreen has survived oral cancer five times, have turned their lived experience into theatre. And it’s not grief theatre. Or brave-face theatre. It’s comedy.
Friends as medicine
“I just wanted relief from the physical pain and also the emotional distress—the insecurity, the fears,” Tannishtha says. “I used to call my friends during the infusions. They were all musicians, actors, stand-up comedians. And we’d kid around about different aspects of it all.” The laughter, she says, wasn’t escapism, but survival architecture.
“I just felt that my treatment and that entire process became easier because we were laughing. The instinct, really, was to make something that eased the weight for us as artists, instead of adding to it. I have never done anything so personal. Actors always hide behind characters,” she admits.
“Here, also, I am playing a character. But it comes from a deeply personal space. And I had to allow myself to be vulnerable in front of audiences.”
The play, she’s quick to clarify, isn’t a sob story with a punchline. “It’s a more universal language of how love heals and how love and companionship can make you go through the toughest times of your lives.”
She pauses, then adds with quiet force: “The overwhelming support from my friends and family is the reason I am standing here today; less than a year later, singing, dancing, and even laughing at my own journey. Ultimately, this is more than just my experience—it is a universal love story.”
Caregivers take the stage
Hashmi, who co-wrote the play, knows the terrain from a different vantage point. Years of caregiving have taught him that tragedy and comedy aren’t opposites—they’re neighbours. “On stage, everything both can be equally difficult,” he says. The play braids experiences together.
“We’ve used both of our experiences—Tannishtha’s as a cancer survivor and my experience of caregiving. So we’ve lent all our personal experiences into the story.”
Theatre, with its unforgiving immediacy, raises the stakes. “If you’re performing badly, then you’ll see the results immediately,” he says. “I think telling the story on stage is going to be really, really exciting and amazing for both of us. And at the same time, it’s very challenging as well. And I hope we succeed in conveying what we want to.”
Normalising the narrative
Director Leena Yadav speaks with the kind of admiration reserved for people who’ve earned it the hard way. “Both these actors are super brave for sharing and bringing this kind of honesty to the work. I think it takes a lot of courage to do that. And then to present it with a sense of humour — that takes something truly special.”
Does humour trivialize pain though? Yadav doesn’t think so. “It’s written by them, right? It is represented by them. It’s lived by them. It can’t be trivialized.” Comedy, she argues, does something practical. “One of the aims of doing this is also to normalize cancer conversations. And I think humour is something that makes everything so much easier to listen to, and to take in.”
What the play ultimately underlines, Yadav says, isn’t illness at all. “It underscores the value of people who stand by you, of the people who make situations easier to bear simply by being with you in the truest sense.”
I had to get back to work to keep my mind sane and forget all about my ill health-Tannishtha Chatterjee
3:02 PM
The National Award-winning actor on her stage comeback amid ongoing cancer treatment and nerve damage
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 18, 2025)
Actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee, best known for her performances in Dekh Indian Circus (2011), Gulaab Gang (2013), and Angry Indian Goddesses (2015), is embracing a stage comeback with Breast of Luck after a decade amid severe health challenges.
The 45-year-old says, “I have been grappling with severe nerve damage in my left arm, sustained on the side of my surgery after a radiation session. This has resulted in restricted movement and excruciating pain, and I have been on painkillers.”
She adds, “According to my physiotherapist, what will work best is exercising in the swimming pool, but it will only be possible once the weather is better.”
Despite her mother’s insistence that she rest, Tannishtha chose to dive back into work: “The last time I was on stage was somewhere in 2014-15 at NCPA... I wanted to resume work.”
She is working on her upcoming musical, which she co-wrote with actor Sharib Hashmi. “I have to constantly be cautious with my arm. Even my co-actors have to be careful because if some one hurts my arm even a little bit, it’s definite that I will scream. But I had to get back to work to keep my mind sane and forget all about my ill health.”
Diagnosed with stage-4 oligometastatic cancer in January last year, her chemotherapy ended in mid-2025, she is still on the path to recovery. “At the end of the month, I will be back at the hospital for a 21-day cycle of target therapy, infusion, and all,” she says.
Tannishtha Chatterjee ‘numb and speechless’ after Busan Film Festival win for Full Plate
10:05 AM
Actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee talks about the reception Full Plate received at the festival and the process of making an independent film
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 23, 2025)
Actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee says she is “numb, speechless and elated” after winning the Visionary Director Award for her film Full Plate at the ongoing Busan International Film Festival.
Speaking about the project, Tannishtha shares, “It’s a fiercely independent, low-budget production that has been met with an excellent reception. I’m hoping to bring it to Indian screens very soon.”
The 44-year-old, who has been navigating a stage-4 oligometastatic cancer diagnosis and recovery since January, describes the past few months as an “unbelievable” rollercoaster ride. Besides her health, making the film came with its own challenges, chief among them, raising funds.
“Everything that can go wrong in anybody’s life happened during the last few years with me,” she tells us. Still, she adds, “I just feel that when the universe corners you on every front, it also holds you.” With her work gaining recognition and her health improving, she says life feels “magical again”.
As for the film’s success at the festival, the excitment in Tannishtha’s voice is evident: “Getting sold-out shows was such a gratifying feeling as a director. Many people were constantly asking for extra tickets.”
Reflecting on the process of making the film, she adds, “When I was making the film, I didn’t think about the budget, its impact, or anything else. My focus was making an honest film and give my all to a story I believed in. This allowed me to put my best foot forward.”
Boney Kapoor to throw a lavish party in Bandra's Pali Hill for Shabana Azmi as she turns 75
9:23 AM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; September 15, 2025)
Grand birthday celebrations are admittedly not Shabana Azmi’s style. But when it’s your milestone birthday, your family and friends will certainly make it an affair to remember.
mid-day has learnt that producer and close family friend Boney Kapoor is hosting a big bash to mark Azmi’s 75th birthday on September 18. On the guest list are the veteran actor’s family — Javed Akhtar, Zoya and Farhan Akhtar, Baba and Tanvi Azmi — as well as her friends Vidya Balan, Urmila Matondkar, Richa Chadha, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Anil Kapoor, Karan Johar, and more.
Many don’t know that Boney and Azmi go back a long way. The two collaborated on his first production, Hum Paanch (1980).
A source shares, “They struck up a friendship then, and over the years, have become almost family. So, when the discussion about celebrating Shabana’s birthday came up, Boney said he would host it. The bash will be held at his Pali Hill address on September 18, and will see Azmi’s friends from films and theatre in attendance.”
Before that, her group of friends — which calls itself Dher Saara Pyaar and comprises Tanvi, Balan, Matondkar, Chatterjee, Chadha, Divya Dutta, Dia Mirza, and Konkona Sen Sharma — has a girls’ day chalked out.
The source says, “On September 17, they will have a spa day, pampering themselves. Their celebration already started over the weekend as Sandhya Mridul launched her book of poems, Untamed. That was followed by dinner.”
The group is excited to meet Azmi’s other girl gang, Carpe Diem — with whom the actor recently took a trip to Iceland — at the birthday bash (Zindagi na milegi dobara, Shabana style, Aug 21).
In just 15 days, I became fearless and hopeful; even chemo couldn’t break me-Tannishtha Chatterjee
8:57 AM
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 25, 2025)
Actor Tannishtha Chatterjee, on Sunday, revealed on Instagram that she was diagnosed with stage-4 oligometastatic cancer in January. Speaking about her health to us, Tannishtha emphasizes the unpredictability of such an illness: “I feel these things don’t have any reasons. I always had a very healthy way of living and taking care of my fit self. None of us can predict or prepare. I guess when it happens you have to deal with it.”
Recalling how after a routine check-up, doctors delivered the difficult news, the 44-year-old shares, “I remember after the check-up when it was diagnosed, my doctors said, ‘This is bad, as it has spread and is in an advanced stage.’ His words didn’t sink in at first; they left me devastated.”
The news also shocked her loved ones. “My family and friends were left baffled, and it was a setback for me. Then began a journey full of questions,” she says, adding, “The last eight months have been tough, not just the treatments, but also dealing with issues like insurance, which aren’t easy to handle.”
However, just days into treatment, Tannishtha found the strength to fight back. “I have learnt so much in this journey. Life is bigger than our stresses. With a nine-year-old daughter and an ailing mother, I had to say, ‘Bring it on’. In just 15 days, I became fearless and hopeful; even chemo couldn’t break me.”
The actor is nearing the end of her treatment, and hoping for a cancer-free future with regular check-ups ahead. She then plans to return to acting and is currently writing a play, which she will present with her friend actor Sharib Hashmi. “In October-November we will start rehearsals as well. So in January next year, when it will be one year since the diagnosis, I will bounce back and go back on stage after 10 years from my last play. Life does come full circle,” she says.
Tannishtha Chatterjee's Full Plate to premiere at the Busan Film Festival
5:27 PM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; August 27, 2025)
Tannishtha Chatterjee is quite a warrior. The filmmaker and actress has been quietly battling stage 4 oligometastatic cancer, and had the persistence to complete a film after her diagnosis and amid her chemotherapy sessions. Written and directed by Tannishtha, Full Plate, a lighthearted, slice-of-life take on social disparity and class commentary, will premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in September.
The film revolves around Amreen (Kirti Kulhari), a talented cook, housewife and mother of three, and how she must navigate unfamiliar vegan cuisine and class divides after her husband’s accident forces her to find work. The film also stars Monica Dogra, Sharib Hashmi, and Indraneil Sengupta in pivotal roles.
Tannishtha told us, “The shoot was done before I was diagnosed but we completed the post production after my diagnosis. I got back to working on the film after my second chemotherapy session and while it was tough, the film was a welcome distraction for me and it touches upon a relevant topic. My cast and I will be attending the premiere at Busan, we are thrilled.”
The actress wants to own her battles instead of concealing them and won’t be wearing a wig on the red carpet. “I am going to sport this bald look on the red carpet,” she concluded.
Tannishtha Chatterjee shares stage IV breast cancer battle
3:42 PM
Tannishtha Chatterjee opens up on battling stage IV breast cancer, inset with Sharib Hashmi
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 9, 2025)
Actor-director and single mother, Tannishtha Chatterjee, is a warrior at heart. Just recovering from the loss of her father to cancer last year, the actress was devastated when she was diagnosed with metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer four months ago. All of this in the middle of a film she was making.
‘For the first time, I am tired of being strong’
While Tannishtha is positive about conquering yet another hurdle, the thought of having to continuously put up a fight has drained her.
“For the first time, I am tired of being strong. Last year, I lost my father to cancer. I had no time to grieve because I had the responsibility of my mother, who is 70 and my daughter, who is 9. I had to be strong for them. Within five days of losing my dad, I was back on set of my film Ek Ruka Hua Faisla. I didn’t know what I was doing. I listened to his favourite songs and reminded myself that I need to carry on. I believe all of this can take a toll on your health. After I was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, I thought… Why me? Is it karma? I was devastated. Friends, spirituality and yoga are helping me to cope with it,” she says, adding, “The disease is at an advanced stage, but the doctors have given me the confidence to believe that I will be okay. I have undergone six chemotherapy sessions. I am not vain, but when you face excessive hairfall, weight loss, eyebrow thinning, it takes a toll on you.”
‘Never take your health for granted, no matter how fit you are’
Stressing on precautionary measures, Tannishtha shares, “I was extremely proud that I had never faced any health issues before. In fact, I was arrogant because I was healthy. I believed nothing would ever happen to me. My dad was super fit and never went to a doctor until he was diagnosed with Leukaemia. The point I am making here is that you should never take your health for granted, no matter how fit you are. I would advise women over the age of 40 to undergo mammography as early detection can be beneficial. I made a mistake. I thought I was an exception, but it can hit anyone.”
‘I sent my daughter to the US because I wanted to protect her childhood’
One of the toughest decisions for the actress, who is a single mom, was sending her little daughter to the US to live with her sister.
The actress says, “My daughter thinks I am a superwoman, and I want her to continue believing that. Some people believe kids should be told everything, but I wanted to protect her. That’s what parents do. As adults, we go through grief, but I didn’t want her childhood to be consumed by grief. She didn’t want to go to the US, but I didn’t want her to see me like this. I didn’t want her to feel insecure about her future and wanted her to know that she has people who will take care of her and love her.”
Sharib Hashmi, whose wife has been an oral cancer survivor, visited Tannishtha at the hospital. Tannishtha says, “We got talking and decided we can collaborate on a live performance which will touch upon cancer awareness, but not in a dark or depressing way. It will have music and will be semi-biographical. It will show how humour and good friends can help you sail through any crisis.”
Tannishtha’s support system
It was Tannishtha’s US-based sister who told her that it’s okay to reach out for help. “When I started my treatment, the doctors said, you need a friend or family to sign the papers. I was crying because my mother or child couldn’t do it. My sister told me, ‘It’s okay to not be strong or not be in charge. Please reach out to your friends’.”
Apparently, her group of close friends, comprising Shabana Azmi, Richa Chadha, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vidya Balan, Divya Dutta, Urmila Matondkar and Dia Mirza, has been her pillar of support. They accompanied her to her chemo sessions and never left her alone.
On a concluding note, Tannishtha says, “Everything has fallen apart in my life, but I am not broken.
I don’t feel negative. The biggest takeaway of my ordeal is humanity. People care; you just need to reach out to them.”
Tannishtha Chatterjee-Amit Sial starrer Yellow Bus to premiere at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival
8:36 AM
Tannishtha Chatterjee on how Yellow Bus, also starring Amit Sial, struck a chord with her; film set to première in Asia after TIFF
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 26, 2023)
Following its world première at the Toronto International Film Festival 2023, Wendy Bednarz’s directorial debut film, Yellow Bus, is set for its Asia première on November 2 at Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023. The Tannishtha Chatterjee and Amit Sial-starrer explores the themes of loss, betrayal, and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit after emotionally processing a life-changing loss.
Set against the backdrop of the Middle East, Yellow Bus follows the story of a hopeful migrant mother, Ananda (played by Chatterjee), who is shattered by a tragic life-turning incident. In search of the truth behind her daughter’s death, Ananda grapples with pain and the emotional turmoil faced by migrants who move to foreign lands with aspirations of a better life.
Speaking of the Asia première, Bednarz said, “The story is a heartfelt exploration of the human experience and a mother’s worst nightmare as she fights for justice in a foreign land and learns to forgive those whom she holds accountable, including herself. I am grateful to producers Nadia Eliewat and Guneet Monga Kapoor for empowering Yellow Bus with a platform and Tannishtha, whose riveting performance captures a mother’s pain with grace and sensitivity.”
Admitting that it was hard to step into the shoes of Ananda, Chatterjee said, “Giving voice to this woman’s struggle of being unheard, especially in an environment that doesn’t favour her, was an emotional journey. Women are often left to struggle with unprecedented situations. I am glad that I could be part of this film that showcases a plethora of emotions in such a nuanced way.”
Heaping praise on the director’s vision, Sial added, “It was a privilege working with my wonderful writer-director, Wendy, who so beautifully crafted the emotions in us, day by day.”
The film is a collaborative effort between Indian, Jordanian, Emirati, and American production houses, including Screen Project, Metatron Productions, OSN, Creative Venture, Sikhya Entertainment, and Ta Films.
Why can’t I get a passport for my daughter?-Tannishtha Chatterjee
8:04 AM
Tannishtha Chatterjee says she has often been asked about the father’s whereabouts after she adopted a daughter
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 2, 2021)
Two days ago, Tannishtha Chatterjee took to social media to share that her five-year-old daughter wasn’t given a passport when they applied for the same. The actor had been planning to take her along for one of her international shoots in the coming month.
Talking to us about it, Chatterjee says, “They kept saying that it’s complicated, since it makes for a court case. I kept iterating that it’s a court order and I’m not in a dispute with anyone. When I went to the assistant passport officer, he told me the same thing. And when I asked him what the complication was, he had no answer. I had provided my daughter’s birth certificate, which has my name, adoption papers, the court order, my passport, our Aadhaar cards, my address proof and my PAN card.”
The actor-filmmaker says while she hasn’t faced something of this nature in the past, she has often been asked about the father. “Right from the beginning, there has always been a question as to who and where the father (of my daughter) is. I hope this doesn’t deter single women from adopting children,” she says.
Chatterjee adds, “The process of adoption for single women is pretty progressive and that’s what I expect out of my country (with regards to other procedures, too), because we’re a progressive culture. If adoption is legal, why is it that I can’t get a passport for my daughter?”
Disturbed by the episode, the actor has been writing to politicians and ministries, seeking help. “I’m in a lurch. They refused me tatkal despite the fact that I had applied for it, digitally, a month ago, with all documents in place. They are regressive. The annexure in their website stated that in case of an adoption, certain documents need to be signed. I’ve done that and uploaded them online,” she states, worried that the incident has left an impact on her daughter.
More than the government, we are censoring ourselves-Tannishtha Chatterjee
8:03 AM
Kunal Guha (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 31, 2021)
Having been part of the entertainment industry for almost two decades now, actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee has dabbled in various genres and platforms.
Her latest web release, Lihaaf, an adaptation of Ismat Chughtai’s controversial story from 1942, which alludes to a same sex relationship between two women, has already won 11 awards at film festivals.
Elaborating on the relevance of the story even after all these years, Chatterjee says, “We are going in cycles. There was a time when artistes were getting more freedom and pushing boundaries. Now, more than the government, we are censoring ourselves.”
Chatterjee, 40, pins the backlash Chughtai’s story received in 1942 on society’s struggle with acceptance but feels that representation of LGBTQ characters have ‘definitely increased’ in films lately. “With creators, producers, platforms and makers, there’s a silent mandate to be inclusive and include all genders and LGBTQ characters. The more we weave them in as characters of a story, the more normal it will become with society,” she notes.
Her unreleased directorial debut Roam Rome Mein, got positive reviews from international critics and even won her Asian Filmmaker Of The Year at Busan International Film Festival, 2019. Indeed, there was a phase when she was really nervous about the project. She recalls being warned by her casting director when two stern Italian critics turned up to watch the film at the Rome International Film Festival. “She told me that I shouldn’t feel bad if they ripped my film apart. And I thought, they will write in Italian so not many will get to know. But they actually understood my film and I felt really happy and elated,” she signs off.
Ad filmmaker Joyeeta Patpatia replaces Tannishtha Chatterjee as Four More Shots Please 3's director
8:18 AM
As Four More Shots Please 3 is set to roll, creator Rangita Pritish Nandy parts ways with director Tannishtha Chatterjee; ropes in ad filmmaker Patpatia
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 28, 2021)
It was frustrating for creator of Four More Shots Please, Rangita Pritish Nandy, who was on the brink of kicking off the third instalment of her hit show in Italy, when COVID 19 pandemic forced everyone into a global lockdown. In a chat with mid-day, Nandy recounts the months of the pandemic, and the changes they've made as the show's shoot finally kicks off in February. "We moved from Italy and thought of shooting in Vietnam, which was minimally hit. They locked down too. Amazon India even suggested we shoot in Nashik. I was quite certain that's not what I want for this season," she says.
Through the months of the Coronavirus pandemic, there were cataclysmic changes that happened with the new season of show. For starters, the new season that was earlier to be directed by Tannishtha Chatterjee will now be helmed by well-known ad filmmaker Joyeeta Patpatia. "With timelines constantly getting knocked around, Tan couldn't do this season. We ended up changing the director. Joyeeta then came on board and then it was a natural process of bringing in the value of life post-coved into the show's narrative. Emotions were heightened and we took that energy back to the writer's room. We are very clear about where the girls are in season 3 and 4 in terms of the narrative but some things had to be tweaked. Story arcs are similar. This is not Grey's Anatomy where they can't ignore COVID happening but at the same time, this show doesn't need COVID to propel the story forward. We had a strong conversation about basing it in post covid times. We have finalised the draft of the season. The shoot kicks off next month now."
With great clarity, Nandy is kicking off shoot with an elaborate Mumbai schedule. "We start with Bombay followed by two outdoors. Europe stays and another elaborate one in India. Both of the outdoors have been snuck into the schedule's end. The reason we waited to shoot for so long is because we wanted to wait for more information. Coronavirus is a black hole and the vaccination conversation is intense but I am aware it is still a while before we get the vaccine. The protocols of the last 10 months stay strong. Amazon US is tight fisted and didn't allow us to work till now. On any given day, we would have 200 people on set. We are looking at exhaustive amounts of testing. COVID compliance officers that Amazon has identified and helped us bring on board, is reassuring. Additionally, we will take our time. What we would have done over two months will now be done over four so we are not rushing against time. It's nerve wracking."
Work in the time of Coronavirus: Bollywood goes around the world to shoot amid pandemic
7:57 AM
With Akshay Kumar set to kick off Bellbottom in Scotland, filmmakers consider overseas locations for shoots; Aamir Khan to take Laal Singh Chaddha to Turkey, Shakun revives Sri Lanka plan for Deepika Padukone-starrer
Uma Ramasubramanian, Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 6, 2020)
Even as the Unlock India plan continues, one phase at a time, filmmakers are contemplating taking their projects abroad due to the ease of shooting and flexible safety restrictions. The idea has got a boost with India undertaking the Air Bubble agreement with the UK, US, France, Germany and the UAE. Among the first Bollywood projects to roll will be Akshay Kumar's Bellbottom. The spy thriller — that features Vaani Kapoor and Lara Dutta — is expected to go on floors this month with the 120-member team flying to Scotland in private jets.Taking a cue from Kumar, Aamir Khan is gearing up to take Laal Singh Chaddha to foreign turf. The setting is a crucial element in the Advait Chandan-directed venture as the narrative traces India's important political and cultural milestones as witnessed by the protagonist. A source reveals, "Aamir is planning to recreate Punjab in Turkey and Georgia as the former has brought the crisis relatively under control. The team is in the process of locking locations via virtual recce and will head there when the travel restrictions ease. The pending Ladakh schedule will possibly be shot in Kargil before that."
The third season of Four More Shots Please was to go on floors in April, with a portion to be filmed in Italy. Director Tannishtha Chatterjee reveals she has been taking updates from friends in the United Kingdom and Italy to understand the situation. "Shooting abroad is safer, but one must consider the rules of quarantine. If my unit has to be quarantined for 14 days, the budget will get affected. Also, the bigger chunk of the show is set in India. So, we have not determined when we will shoot."Director Shakun Batra is handpicking a team of 50 that will fly to Sri Lanka for the shoot of the yet-untitled relationship drama, featuring Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ananya Panday. "On August 1, Sri Lanka opened the airports for tourists again. Shakun is hopeful that India will resume flights to the country by November," says a source.
Tannishtha Chatterjee assures that Four More Shots Please 3 will be shot in Europe
8:47 AM
With a chunk of Four More Shots Please 3 set in Europe, director Tannishtha Chatterjee says team to wait out Coronavirus pandemic to shoot in the continent
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; June 2, 2020)
While the entertainment industry gears up to resume shoots in Maharashtra following the state government's greenlight, international shoots remain a distant dream. However, that has hardly deterred actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee who has envisioned the third season of Four More Shots Please! in Europe.Stating that the script was developed well before the pandemic hit the world, she says, "We had planned to shoot a chunk of Four More Shots Please in Europe, particularly Italy. As of now, we are sticking [to the destinations] and not changing the script. We will see how it plays out in the next few months. Some people say the pandemic will abate, others say there will be a second wave. How do you plan in such uncertainty? If we need to change things drastically, we will do it."
The second season of the Kirti Kulhari, Sayani Gupta, Maanvi Gagroo and Bani J-fronted series received praise and criticism in equal measure. As Chatterjee takes the directorial baton, she claims backlash comes with the territory. "There is constant judgment when it comes to such shows. There will be a conservative backlash, and I am ready for it."
Roping in a new director is the right way forward, says Four More Shots Please 2 director Nupur Asthana
8:23 AM
Even as she earns immense praise for Four More Shots Please 2, director Nupur Asthana is happy to pass the baton to Tannishtha Chatterjee for next season
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; May 19, 2020)
When she had joined the team of Four More Shots Please for its sophomore season, she had barely imagined that the edition — developed under her watchful eyes — would go on to become the most watched Indian show on Amazon Prime of the year so far. As she took on the directorial duties from Anu Menon, Nupur Asthana says her objective was to make the protagonists relatable even as they downed tequila in Istanbul and flaunted Balenciaga bags.
"Since I was directing all 10 episodes, I could approach the season with a blank slate. I didn't have to follow any blueprint in terms of the storytelling. It is a fashion-forward show, so, the girls will be well-dressed, but my aim was to make them more real," explains Asthana.
From body shaming to workplace gender inequality, the instalment has been applauded for touching on various women's issues through its protagonists — essayed by Kirti Kulhari, Sayani Gupta, Maanvi Gagroo and Bani J. Asthana credits the win to the all-women force at work, from the writers to the cast. "I went with my instinct. My crew and cast did extensive workshops, we had free-flowing chats then and bared our hearts. That made things easier. They understood what I was trying to do and how I wanted their characters to grow on screen. I have worked with the writers [Ishita Moitra and Devika Bhagat] before. It was an exhilarating ride for me."
With praise coming in for the second season, one would expect her to helm the next instalment. However, Asthana is only too happy to pass the baton to actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee. "They [Amazon Prime and creator Rangita Nandy] were keen on having me on board for season three too, but I was exhausted. I had finished working on the show on January 15; to go back to it in a few months [would have been too much]. I need time to recharge my batteries. Also, in order to create a fresh look with the same material, roping in a new director is the right way forward."
With Roam Rome Mein, I’ve tried to do break the rules set by patriarchy-Tannishtha Chatterjee
6:18 AM
Actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee; adds that she wouldn’t like to play “second fiddle” to men
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 8, 2019)
With films like Parched (2015), Angry Indian Goddesses (2015) and Lihaaf to her credit, actor-director Tannishtha Chatterjee has carved a niche for herself. She says that though she’s fascinated with playing the quintessential Hindi film heroine, there aren’t enough meaty roles for women in mainstream Hindi films. “I love Alia (Bhatt) and Vidya (Balan)’s work. They’ve done such meaningful roles. Those are the parts that I want to play. But what would I do in a regular Bollywood film where the woman really doesn’t have anything to do?” she asks.
However, she says that there has been a paradigm shift in the world of Hindi cinema over the past few years. “Things are changing now. I’m a trained actor, and I always wanted to do things where I could contribute. There are many actors today who’ve had the opportunities to play fabulous parts in mainstream films as well. Padmaavat (2018) is Deepika’s (Padukone) film. I look forward to stories where women are given roles that are central to the plot and they aren’t second fiddle to the male protagonist,” says the Brick Lane (2007) actor.
What makes Tannishtha happy is “a major gender evolution” that is taking place in our society which is being reflected in the film industry. She elaborates, “Within the film industry, there are a lot of women directors and writers who are coming up and are able to break free and express themselves. The perspective in the way stories are told is different when it’s told by women. For centuries, we’ve appreciated art, storytelling, poetry and music from a male’s point of view. Women performers, writers, painters and creators have been schooled in the male perspective.”
This is why the Gulaab Gang (2014) actor has decided to take the director’s baton in her hands and has helmed a “feminist film” like Roam Rome Mein. She says, “The film, much like art, came out of my personal expression. A story like this isn’t the need of the hour; it has been the need of many centuries. If I go to an art or a film school, I’ll study by the rule book that’s set by great male artistes over centuries. With Roam Rome Mein, I’ve tried to do break the rules set by patriarchy.”
Arjun Mathur greenlights black comedy opposite Tannishtha Chatterjee
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Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 31, 2019)
The raging success of Made In Heaven turned its leads, Arjun Mathur and Sobhita Dhulipala, into overnight sensations. Not one to go on a signing spree after having tasted success, Mathur bided his time before giving a nod to his next. Now, we hear the actor — who has previously dabbled in films — has greenlit Anshuman Jha's Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, which will see him team up with Tannishtha Chatterjee.A source says, "The black comedy tells the story of two couples and their encounter with a pizza delivery boy one night. Though Arjun and Tannishtha have been roped in to play one of the couples, the casting for the second couple is yet to be finalised. Anshuman has a distinct vision for each character and understands the importance of solid actors to breathe life into his story. He felt Arjun and Tannishtha fit the bill for the central characters."
The film is expected to go on floors in the UK in January 2020. Excited to have Mathur on board, director Jha says, "This is essentially a five-character film and each part is integral to the story. I am excited to collaborate with Tannishtha and Arjun, whose work I admire."
My child has adopted me and not the other way around-Tannishtha Chatterjee
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Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; October 27, 2019)
Actor-turned-director Tannishtha Chatterjee is now the mother of a little girl. She always wanted to adopt a child, and she turned her dream into reality a few months ago. Given the sensitivity of the issue, the actress took her time to speak about it, also hoping that others, who harbour dreams of adopting a child, will be encouraged by her story. In a chat with BT, during which her three-year-old daughter accompanied her, Tannishtha opened up on various issues. She spoke candidly about motherhood as a single woman and why she was clear about bypassing marriage. Excerpts:
Our society often believes that the institution of marriage offers ‘stability and security’ to a woman. While that is subjective, as a single woman, how tough was it to overlook that, follow your heart and dive straight into motherhood?
I am not married, but I have a child now. I tell a lot of my male friends and exes that instead of adopting a guy, I preferred to adopt a child. I have been thinking about adopting since the time I was 16. I was clear from a very young age that I wanted to adopt. When you say these things as a teenager, people tend to dismiss it, saying, ‘Yeh toh sirf aisa bol rahi hai’. At that point, even I thought that I am being very uptight, and it’s about a social cause given that there are so many abandoned kids in our country. As I grew older, the thought of adoption not only stayed with me, but only became firmer. There’s this brilliant Japanese film called Like Father, Like Son (2013). It revolves around a couple who learns that their biological son was switched with another boy at birth. The parents are then faced with the difficult decision of choosing their biological son or the one they raised as their own. While watching the film, I realised that this ‘our child carries our genes’ thing is a very patriarchal idea. You don’t have to give birth to a child to be a mother. Even when you look at our culture, Krishna was raised by Yashoda and not his biological mother, Devaki. Over the years, this thought got affirmed in my head.
How easy or tough was the adoption process as a single woman?
She (daughter) came to me eight months ago. You don’t choose. Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a government organisation, and in the last few years, they have streamlined the process. It is not like getting a baby at a shopping mall. You can’t choose. This whole designer baby thing is not fair. Even when you have a biological child, you don’t know how the child is going to turn out. The only thing that you can suggest during adoption is the age bracket and gender of the child that you wish to adopt. I wanted to adopt a child of this age because older children often get left out. Most people prefer babies who are three-six months old as they want a clean slate. I chose that age bracket for a reason. I know so many single moms who have adopted children and CARA is, in fact, supportive of single women. Especially for the girl child, they prefer single women as they feel they are safer with women. I think my process was faster because of that. I jumped the queue and the entire process took about a year.
Is it true that being a part of the film Lion (2017), in which you played a cameo, helped you understand the process of adoption better?
When I was doing that film, I was nowhere close to realistically doing this thing. Director Garth Davis and Deepti Naval were doing research on this subject for her role in the film, and she shared many things related to it with me. We went to an orphanage in Kolkata during that film. I realised foreigners adopted a lot of older kids. Indian couples prefer adopting very young children. When I was shooting for Parched (2015), I went to an orphanage in Bhuj and I started sponsoring two kids there. All these things happened. That’s when I got to know the process and how one needs to go about it.
What was your parents’ reaction to this decision of yours?
Obviously, they had a few questions. Marriage was one; also, they told me that having a child is not a child’s play. They told me to think it over as it’s a lifelong commitment. My mother warned me and told me that I have always lived a teenager’s life and I haven’t taken responsibilities of raising a family, so this should not be something that I was temporarily excited about. They were apprehensive, but when I was sure about wanting to do this, they were supportive. It’s been eight months now, and it’s been a beautiful journey. Whoever is thinking of doing this, should just do it. I wasn’t sure if I should talk about it or not. On the one hand, it’s a very personal decision, so I didn’t want to make news out of it. I didn’t post anything about it on social media either. On the other hand, I want to reach out to those who want to do this and are privileged enough to take care of a child. I read a report in The Times of India a while ago, about couples who are opting not to have children owing to rising population and other crisis. I want to tell them, just adopt. A lot of them don’t want kids at all. Of course, that’s their choice and they are entitled to it, but I want them to just think once about adoption. Surrogacy, IVF —people do so many things to have their biological children. Give adoption a thought, too.
Your daughter is a little over three years. Do you think of talking to her about where she has come from, how you brought her home…and things like that?
She understands Bengali now and is really sharp. Now that she goes to an English school, she understands English as well, so I avoid using certain words in front of her. I spell the word adopt in front of her instead of saying it. Some orphanages believe that the children should know, so she knows that she has come from another place. That’s all she knows. She thinks I am the new mom as I picked her from the place where her biological parents dropped her off. Slowly that memory has faded. Now, she believes that I am the one who dropped her at that place, and I am the one who picked her up as well. As she grows older, she will start making sense of it on her own. It will never be a shock or a surprise for her. Another beautiful thing is that she has never asked me about her Dad. In the park one day, a little boy asked her why she doesn’t have a dad. She told him, “But you don’t have daadi and dada. I have them and mom.” These days, kids are so mature and adaptable. Their emotional maturity is amazing. As adults, we underestimate them.
The world is getting cynical. This step that you have taken makes it hopeful, isn’t it? To give a better life to someone…
A lot of people thought that I was being pessimistic for not wanting to give birth to children in this world. Environmentally, we are a disaster. Be it war or climate crisis, look at what we have done to our planet. Greta Thunberg (16-year-old Swedish teenage environmental activist) is speaking for all of us. Food is adulterated, oxygen is depleting. What are we leaving for our future generation? Why not help those who already exist? All of these things posed many questions. We are destroying the planet and there is no value for human life. Survival is the biggest challenge. A child brings so much love and beauty to your life. You can give the child a nice home. My child has adopted me and not the other way around; it was so organic.
There are challenges of raising a child as a single mom, especially when you are working in an industry that is so demanding and fast-paced, right?
I don’t want to compete with men, and I don’t want to be a man. I want to celebrate my femininity. But equality also means that I don’t need to be taken care of. I am an adult and I make my choices and live my life according to what suits my interests. Also, yes, your life does change after a child comes into your life. I can have friends over after she goes to sleep, but I rarely go out now and it’s all worth it.
Nandita Das is crusading against the colour bias with Ali Fazal, Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma
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Nandita Das is celebrating the many shades of skin colour in India with a two-minute anthem
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 11, 2019)
Six years after she took a stand against the prevalent colour bias in Indian society, Nandita Das is reinventing her message. The actress-filmmaker recently shot a two-minute anthem called ‘India’s Got Colour’ with Ali Fazal, Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Gul Panag, Divya Dutta, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Tillotama Shome, Sayani Gupta and Suchitra Pillai, among others. The idea is to ensure that words like ‘fair, ‘dark’ and ‘beautiful’ are not reinforced. Nandita, who is collaborating with director Mahesh Mathai, recalls young women sharing stories of discrimination and how the ‘Dark is Beautiful’ campaign gave them strength to combat it. “The idea now is to change the narrative to a more holistic celebration of skin colour in India. After all, we are 1.3 billion people, and have that many shades of skin tones!” she asserts.Pointing out that glorification of fair skin in films reflects the bias of the society, Nandita says, “In subtle as well as blatant ways, we often hear things like, ‘uska rang saaf hai,’ as if dark skin is dirty. In Bollywood, if you are dark, you are right for the roles of village women, slum dwellers etc. but an affluent, urban character must always be fair-faced. I was often told by the make-up man that I need not worry as he was an expert in making people look fair. I’ve even had directors and camerapersons telling me that it would be good if I made my skin lighter as I was playing an educated upper class woman!”
Ask her how Mahesh came onboard the project and Nandita reveals that the idea was to make the project as collaborative as possible. “Mahesh and I were on a panel on colourism a few years ago, and I could see that he shares my passion,” she avers.
Divya reveals that while they are addressing a serious issue, the team had a blast while at work. “It seemed like we were back in school, mugging our lines and rehearsing together. It was fun meeting friends and doing something that should be spoken about together,” she informs.
Even as work on the post-production is currently on, Nandita is overwhelmed by the unconditional support she has received so far. “All the key crew members have worked on the anthem pro bono. It is a fun song that calls out the rampant discrimination that we see all around us. It was great to know that so many people feel strongly about the issue and were happy to work for free,” she signs off.
Image: Shabana Azmi throws an Independence Day house bash for the girls; Anil Kapoor does special appearance
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The actress and her guests tucked into kebabs and biryani and sang Hindi film songs during a house party, while Anil Kapoor showed up briefly
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 17, 2019)
On Thursday, Independence Day, Konkona Sen Sharma, Divya Dutta, Dia Mirza, Sandhya Mridul, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Shahana Goswami and Richa Chadha gathered for a party at Shabana Azmi’s suburban residence.
The hostess admits the celebration was Sandhya’s idea and her only regret is that Vidya Balan who is caught up in promotions and Urmila Matondkar who took off on a flood relief campaign couldn’t make it. “The two of them we missed, but the rest of them were there and were horrid to me. The get-together was supposed to be in my honour but these wicked girls get a kick out of making fun of me but I love each one of them. Most of them have played my daughter, including Konkona, Shahana and Divya, while Tannishtha, Urmila and I have done a play together. So, there is a real connection and its beautiful when girls get together and have a blast. I don’t think I have laughed so much in my life, we were all in a silly mood and I feel rejuvenated,” admits Shabana.
Divya endorses this saying it’s been ages since they have laughed so much. “It’s amazing to be with like-minded women and not discuss work but turn into laughing little girls,” informs the actress who is presently working with Shabana in writer-director Faraz Arif Ansari’s Sheer Qorma on the LGBTQ community’s struggles for love and acceptance, which begins at home. “I am extremely fond of her. When I was growing up, if someone asked me my favourite film it was always Arth and Mandi so sharing screen space with her is an amazing feeling,” says Divya, who was last seen with Shabana in the 2016 drama Chalk n Duster. At the party, Divya informs that they tucked into kebabs, biryani and a dessert made of dates “which was delicious”. And they sang songs. “For some strange reason almost, all actors have good voices and they can sing. I can’t remember which songs we sang on Thursday but they were Hindi songs. It was so relaxing,” smiles Shabana.
Pictures from the bash have the internet buzzing and Divya admits that the adaab pose is a favourite though Shabana often complains that the girls still can’t get it right. “For another picture, we all used Shahana’s red lipstick to pout. How many times do you do that with co-actors who happen to be friends?” Divya laughs.
Shabana’s writer-lyricist husband Javed Akhtar and old friend Anil Kapoor made 10-minute appearances each at the all-girls party. “Anil and we get together once in a while. He is the gorgeous young man among all the women and when he learnt the girls were there, he turned up for a little while. All of them adore him and he adores them, so it was too much fun,” beams Shabana.
So, when is the next get-together happening? “These fun dos are always impromptu. As soon as one of us has a reason to celebrate, we will go crazy again,” Divya promises.
The climate change is catastrophic; We are living in a gas chamber-Nila Madhab Panda
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Nila Madhab Panda on being one of the 11 filmmakers selected by the UN to be a part of an anthology on climate change
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 23, 2019)
Nila Madhab Panda, best known for his directorial, I Am Kalam, is one of the 11 filmmakers from across the globe selected by the United Nations to make a film on the worldwide phenomenon of rampant climate change. “The project is titled Interdependence and filmmakers from 11 nations will talk about this very relevant issue and how it plagues their countries. It’s essentially an anthology,” informs the maker. The other 10 directors on board include Faouzi Bensaidi (Morocco), Asa Hjorleifsdottir (Iceland), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Cannes winner from Chad, Sahel Region), Salome Lamas (Portugal), Bettina Oberli (Switzerland), Shahrbanoo Sadat (Afghanistan), Silvio Soldini (Italy), Daniela Thomas (Brazil), Leon Wang (China) and Karin Williams (New Zealand).
Nila’s film, primarily a courtroom drama, is set in our capital city. It features Divya Dutta as a judge and Tannishtha Chatterjee as a lawyer, with Manjari Fadnnis and Chandan Anand as a married couple on the verge of divorce. “I have been living in Delhi for a long time now and the change is catastrophic. We are living in a gas chamber and being the parent of a growing child, I am worried about his health all the time. Since we are responsible for what is happening, we should come forward to do something. Running away won’t help. This film is a portentous narrative which will show us how we can fight the problem in our own way,” he explains.
Nila is ecstatic to be the chosen one to represent India at a global platform. “There is an Oscar- nominated filmmaker, directors who have won at Cannes, Berlin and other prestigious film festivals. All 11 of us have come together for one ultimate cause: climate change,” he exults, admitting that it was tough getting his cast together. “I got lucky and now have a nice ensemble in place. I have always been fond of Divya’s work, I believe she has more to offer than what we have seen and you will get to see another shade of her talent in my film,” he promises.
The film will open in Italy and travel across the globe with the intention of making everyone aware of the world we live in. “A release in India is the distributors’ call, but I hope it finds its way to the country,” Nila signs off.
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