Saturday, 10 July 2021 | Ayushi Sharma
Shweta Tripathi tells Ayushi Sharma that the pandemic has been a learning experience for everyone and hopes it can bring about a transformation in people
Earlier, when I thought of actor Shweta Tripathi, I imagined someone with high spirits, effusive and vivacious, contrary to her on-screen characters; like Gajgamini Gupta aka Golu in Mirzapur Season 2 or Amara in The Gone Game. And now, when I got a chance for a candid conversation with her, my assumption did not seem to be at all off the mark. She is somebody who appears confident, gives off a positive attitude, and exudes an attractive charisma. Excerpts:
You have been living and shooting in a bio-bubble for The Gone Game Season 2. How would you describe the experience? Is it difficult to shoot amid the pandemic?
I would just say that you have to be as careful as possible. And you have to be responsible not just for yourself but also for the people around you. We have completed the first schedule of the second season. Now, it depends on the guidelines if we’ll be shooting again in a bio-bubble or not. As actors, our process is very internal, either you are in front of the camera or you are prepping yourself for the shoot. Other works like production, art department, and more are usually done before we come on set.
If there are many people involved, imagine the pre-pandemic world, there’s a lot of work delegation that happens. And when less number of people are working on one thing, which is happening currently, you have to be responsible for your stuff. So in a way people get more efficient.
Also, I feel there are pros and cons to everything. I wouldn’t say it’s difficult to shoot amid the pandemic, but it’s just that the sense of responsibility has grown. The basic level of hygiene has gone up among everyone, which is a good thing. I believe that you can learn good things even from a catastrophe like a pandemic. When we win the fight with Covid, it doesn’t mean we should forget all the good lessons that came along with it. It’s very important to enhance yourself as a human being, and even as a society.
From death, suffering, war to destruction and rapid degeneration of the environment, there’s so much going on in the world currently that cannot be ignored. How are you keeping yourself motivated these days?
Since this new decade started, things have been getting worse day by day — the string of wildfires, airplane crashes, CAA and NRC protests in the country, the death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, social unrest over the killing of George Floyd, various natural disasters, and we still don’t stop here; the list goes on and on — all while we are under the pandemic. Not to forget the second wave of Covid-19 in the country…
I used to get affected by all these things very much. But one thing that I have learned is that if you get affected by something, you get emotionally involved. It makes you weaker. It made me so… because I felt very helpless and hopeless. I saw no light. I used to think — what is this world that we are living in, we humans have done this to ourselves. So it was a downward spiral. I realised that if I let myself go down this road, I won’t be in a position to help out anybody else because I will need help. So if you want to make a difference, you have to be strong. You have to guard and shield yourself because only when you are strong, can you help the people and the world around you.
I want to be in a position where people respect me, maybe, because of my work, my ideologies, or what I believe in; only then, maybe, I can change their minds about certain things… Or maybe, then, there can at least be a healthy discussion. So if you want to bring about change, you have to be smart about doing so. Do you get it? Also, it’s basic love and respect that every human strives for. So when these issues — of race, caste, gender, religion — enter the conversation, everything starts getting troublesome. I feel, we should all be above these things and create a world where there is love and peace, where there is more support for each other.
Do you see hope and light at the end of the tunnel? Do you think we’ll emerge stronger from these situations?
It is the survival of the fittest. As humans, we are responsible for several wrongdoings, but I think there’s always scope for improvement. Sab ko Greta (Thunberg) banne ki zarurat nahi hai, but even if we start taking just our responsibility to do the right thing, the world will be such a better place.
Wherever I go, I always carry my metal water bottle. I do not use or buy plastic bottles. I have been doing this for years. Similarly, you need to find your unique ways to contribute towards the betterment of society. We have to be responsible for this planet, after all, it’s our home. You don’t litter your own house, do you? It’s as basic as that. We can and will emerge from this Covid situation, but these wastes, especially masks, that people throw everywhere, are going to come and bite you in your backside. Education is more than what’s in the books. It’s more about lifestyles, morals, and disciplines that you create.
You have three projects lined up for release — Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, The Gone Game Season 2, and Escaype Live…
We started shooting for Escaype Live for two days but then we had to stop because the producer said human lives are more important than anything else. And that was the right decision to make. So we were shooting in Benaras, we came back from there. Now the shoot will resume once I am done with The Gone Game’s second schedule of the shooting. I think that’ll be done by the end of this month. Then in August, I’ll start with Escaype Live. Hopefully, more things will come up by that time.
You have come quite far from where you started. How would you describe your transition?
The transition has been quite great. When I look back at my journey, ‘wow’ is the word that I utter. I have transformed as has my acting. Now, I just immerse myself in the process of acting. I try to feel what the emotion is rather than portraying it. What has helped me is being a student all these years. I believe you can never stop learning. I want to learn as much as possible. As I said earlier, it’s very important to keep upgrading yourself. Aap mehnat karoge toh voh zarur dikhegi, haan time beshak lag sakta hai. But then, that is the process right? You learn as you grow.
Have the characters that you essayed helped you evolve as an actor and a person as well?
I think my characters make me a better person because of the situations that they have been in. Like Golu from Mirzapur, she has lost her sister, she’s lost somebody who she loved so much. Fortunately, I haven’t gone through that and I don’t want to go through that. That’s why I like all the drama to be on screen. Take Gone Kesh, for instance, I had no idea that alopecia is a condition. When I got to know about it, I realised the importance of hair. And I realised that no problem is big or small, jiske saath beet raha hota hai uske liye that is bigger than everything else. It’s all about perspective. I feel so grateful that I understand beauty is not external at all. The person that you are on the inside is the most important thing. That is what I learned through Gone Kesh. When I was playing Dr Shreya (Pathare) in Laakhon Mein Ek, I had no idea about the medical world. As a doctor, you have people’s lives in your hands. The responsibility that you have is just beyond expression. So I learned so much patience. My empathy has really gone up. I learned from playing my characters that it’s the situation and circumstances that make the people. It’s not always their choice.
