UNABASHED, UNAPOLOGETIC
Actor Swara Bhasker shares why she chooses intense roles and believes in having an opinion
Actor Mohammad Nazim is on cloud nine after receiving a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has pledged his support to the nationwide cleanliness initiave, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, kickstarted by the government.
“Recently, I have received a letter from our prime minister. Narendra Modi. In the letter, he shared and explained the importance of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. I personally feel that a cleaner India is better India. I am a fitness freak and I know I can be fit only when I have a healthy body and healthy atmosphere,” says Nazim.
The actor is aware of India’s need to give its people a healthy environment and can’t help but compare its state to conditions in other countries.
“Whenever I have been overseas, I have noticed this huge difference in cleanliness. In India, we are way behind. We stay in our house in a very neat and clean environment. But the moment we step out, we are surrounded with garbage. There is plastic lying everywhere. No doubt Mumbai floods every year. Abroad, when someone takes out their pets for a walk, they clean the pet’s poop. People over there are very much aware and conscious. India is such a great country, so I believe that we should work hard to make it cleaner,” he says.
Nazim, who rose to fame with the TV show Saath Nibhana Saathiya, also adds, “As a celebrity, I know I have certain social responsibility. Now, it is my responsibility to see how I can put my effort in this noble cause.”
Actor Swara Bhasker has impressed fans with some really strong performances on the screen. Be it an intense portrayal of a selfless mother in Nil Battey Sannata, a modern, free-spirited girl in the Tanu Weds Manu films, or a small-town erotic folk dancer in Anaarkali Of Aarah, Swara is known for playing unapologetic characters who believe in defying the status quo.
Swara says such roles come naturally to her. “I think it’s ingrained in me. I am quite unapologetic in my real life, too,” says the actor.
A law student, Swara hails from a liberal family and owes her on-screen choices to her growing up days. “My parents have always encouraged me to think for myself. I’ve studied under open-minded teachers who pushed me to think in a critical sort of way,” adds Swara.
The 29-year-old, currently shooting for Veere Di Wedding in Delhi, believes that she is not apprehensive about speaking her mind on any given subject. “It’s important to raise your voice against something that’s wrong because being neutral is actually admitting it,” she says.
Swara feels that as an actor, one can’t skip pertinent questions. “As an artist, you have a responsibility towards the world. We can’t just sit silent saying that our job is only to entertain. I believe our job is also to make an influence in other people’s lives.”