9 Common Myths About Artistes Busted
AS AN ACTOR AND DESIGNER, THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW ASSUMPTIONS THAT I HAVE TRIED TO NEGOTIATE IN VARIOUS WAYS. HERE’S AN EDITED LIST
1 DESIGN? YOU MEAN FASHION? NIFT?
All designers do not make clothes. Or accessories. Design is everything — from the car you drive, the laptop you use to the surgical equipment that’s used to save lives. Also sex toys, but that’s illegal here, so not too many Indian designers do that.
2 AREN’T “CREATIVE TYPES” JHOLA CARRYING, KURTA WEARING UNPROFESSIONALS?
Well, some are, some aren’t. Creativity really is something applied, in varying degrees, to most careers. Mutual Funds? Creative. Maths whiz? Creative. Tax collection? Definitely creative. Your degree of creativity in your chosen career really does affect the quality of output, no matter what you do.
3 ACTRESSES HAVE IT EASY. OR ARE EASY
I have a tremendous respect for all actresses in the business, simply because they have the tenacity to have made it in a still-male dominated, incredibly tough, judgemental space. I can’t imagine anyone who has had it easy and actresses do it in heels.
4 CREATIVE TYPES ARE ALWAYS FLAKEY AND NEVER ON TIME
I have had the pleasure of personally knowing a few folk who are fanatically organised and incredibly creative. I’m quite creative with my perception of time, though, but that’s just me. I think.
5 ACTORS ARE PRIMA DONNAS/SELF-ABSORBED/ OR B*&%#ES
There are many defense systems that one builds as an actor. Not engaging in letting everyone walk all over you does garner a fair amount of criticism. However, if you do manage to get to know them better, most actors are incredibly personable.
6 CREATIVE FOLK ARE BROKE/ DESERVE TO BE BARGAINED WITH.
While the motivational force of many a creative individual is beyond monetary compensation, and want to do work that moves them, it is just not okay to browbeat an individual for their time and talent
7 ALL SUCCESSFUL ACTORS ARE WEALTHY
Wealth, if not achieved, is a consistent façade projected by several individuals of the film faternity, not just actors, because they can’t afford to do otherwise.
8 ARTISTES ARE TORTURED SOULS/TRUE ART WARRANTS PAIN.
Artists, in general, are perhaps more sensitive than most. This is a sweeping statement, but while having a word with a professor in a leading design institute, I was told it was indeed something they screened for, because it does help the quality of work, apparently.
9 AS AN ACTOR, I GET THIS QUESTION A LOT: DO YOU PRE- FER TO PLAY THE GLAMOUR GIRL OR THE HOMELY GIRL?
How do I begin to explain that the deeply entrenched virgin/ slut dichotomy seen as an obvious truth is ridiculous and a part of the problem with the way the world perceives women. I'm both and neither, and would like to play roles that don't stereotype me. How do I say all this without sounding like a pseudo-intellectual feminist? I usually just say I want to play both the prostitute and the saint and everything in between. And then I smile. That helps.