We are in a business with humongous egos: Sushmita
Sushmita Sen’s web series, Aarya, has garnered much appreciation. But before settling on this project to make a comeback, the actor declined quite a few offers. She agrees that “too many NOs is like alienating people”. She says, “We are in a business with humongous egos, that’s not a secret. Each time you say no, that’s a problem, you’re a problem, it might mean that you don’t want to work.”
However, Sen never pondered over what people would think. “It’s always been about being honest about the work I take up. Good, bad or ugly — I chose this, so I’m responsible. The offers that came to me sometimes weren’t good enough; it would also be like we are doing you a favour by keeping you in the industry. That doesn’t work,” she adds.
The actor, 44, never “targeted the first five spots in the film industry”, but admits she’s hungry for good work. “I’d enjoy working in a strict environment where I’m told on my face when I go wrong, rather than those ‘wah wah kya shot diya’ reactions. That is what inspired me to grow, otherwise I’m just another actor trying to stay in the game,” she opines.
For Sen, it’s the story and characters that matter, and not the medium. “I think I am old enough not to be excited about formats. I am excited about stories, characters, presentation, etc. Whether it’s online or theatre doesn’t make much of a difference,” she says.
At a time when many are expressing how toxic social media is, Sen feels consistency matters, adding, “No amount of social media marketing can change that, because more than a generation has seen you being consistently you. It takes a lot of brickbats, appreciation and ignorance, and everything
Shreya Mukherjee
culminates into the person who’ll be remembered.”
She’s also not keen on making a hue and cry about every issue. “For example, every time something happens in the country, you feel for it, pray for the people, but this idea that you need to pull up a force and make noise about feeling sad isn’t something I encourage. Social media is fantastic…it helps you connect beyond boundaries, but if you use it to promote ideas and hatred in divisiveness, count me out,” she signs off.