‘Nowadays, social media numbers get more priority over the craft of acting’I’m talkative, inquisitive and a curious person,” says actress Tanika Basu who admits to asking her directors lots of questions before and during filming. When asked why, she said, “It helps me become the character I am playing on screen.” She tells us that she has been receiving lots of positive feedback for portraying a specially-abled character in her latest film,
Chaalchitro: The Frame Fatale. From perfecting her craft to journeying from meddling to acting, the actress spilled the beans in a chat with us. Excerpts.
Blurb: I’m hopeful to get good work but I know good work does not guarantee more work. Now social media numbers have become the primary requisition to get work and it upsets me. What about the craft? Why are we training and practicing acting?
Tanika Basu in Chaalchitro: The Frame Fatale.
‘I don’t want to entertain, but move and impact my audiences’ OR ‘My sole purpose is never to entertain the audience but to be authentic’The journey from modelling to acting “I’d always been interested in acting – to experience another life apart from my own always fascinated me,” says Tanika who comes from an academic background for which she couldn't pursue acting early in life. She says, “During college I'd done a wee bit of modelling and that added fuel to my already existing fire of being an actor.” She told us that she joined acting classes and after slowly auditioning for a few parts, bagged a role in a daily soap aired on a private Bengali channel. She added, “During 2013-14, I was doing theatre and serials for the following few years. In 2016, I started training under
Daminee Benny Basu and that has had a massive impact in my acting journey and life.”
'Benny is more than a mentor to me’Tanika says that to her Daminee Benny Basu is more than just her mentor – she is her acting coach. “I still train with her and she has really impacted my life immensely. My perspectives of life transformed after I joined her class. It has helped me to accept myself fully and to strive to be the best version of that self,” said the actress.
‘It’s best to have different acting methods up your sleeve’Tanika says she is a student of the “being method” by Eric Morris which Benny teaches. However, she strongly believes that an actor’s method is whatever works best to get the perfect shot. “We’re not always provided with the best scenarios while shooting as time is limited, the sets can be chaotic. It’s best to have different acting methods up your sleeve so that you’re ready to switch and try some other thing that might make your scene better,” explained the
Abar Bochhor Koori Pore actress, adding, “The more ideas or methods you have the better for you as an artiste.”
Tanika at a stage performance
‘I am indebted to my character Putul’ Chaalchitro: The Frame Fatale is Tanika’s eighth theatrical release and thirteenth feature film including telefilms and shelved projects. “This film has given me immense love and recognition from the industry people and especially the audience. I am indebted to my character Putul,” said Tanika. She explained to us that she was skeptical about auditioning for the role as she was going through a rough patch in terms of work in Kolkata. “My Hindi debut
Kaala was to be released in a month and I didn’t want to do anything closer to home where my role would be an ornamental addition or where my scenes might be reduced or worse edited out of the film,” admits the actress, adding “After reading Putul’s scenes, I knew wanted to audition for the role, as I might never get the opportunity to ever play such a character again. After being chosen as Putul, I prepared and rehearsed a lot with most of the guidance from my director Pratim da (Pratim D Gupta) who showed me videos and references to technically prepare for the role.”
‘Putul’s character was a huge responsibility on my shoulders’It is not easy to play a character who is specially-abled – as an actor it was a huge responsibility for me so that I didn’t go overboard. Portraying speech disability was tough and while dubbing I was scared beyond my wits throughout. The amount of physical stress or facial muscle control which was needed to play Putul was difficult. While shooting, my hands would often bruise because of Putul’s old wheelchair. But the love and positive feedback I got from everyone made it worthwhile. Putul will forever stay in my heart.
‘I always prioritise connecting with my audiences’I don't wish to rigidly box artists in categories or being an entertainer and actor but if I absolutely have to I’d prefer to be known as an actor. An actor's first responsibility is to bring about believability in their character. If that entertains the audience, good. But if it doesn’t ‘entertain’ but still manages to affect, the job is probably half done. If I do a role that makes you cry or angry or hurt, you're not going to come out of the theatre saying you're entertained, but you’d be affected! That's what I want. I want to affect, to inspire, to influence my audience. My sole purpose is never to only entertain the audience but to be as authentic as I can to become the character I'm playing and to connect with them.
Blurb: The ultimate goal of any actor is to make the audience believe, be it television or theatre or for the camera. Serials demand drama, cinema needs subtlety, while theatre is totally different. If one is really immersed in the character and make it real that's all that matters
Pix: Anindya Saha
Makeup and hair: Surojit Sarkar
Location: 8th Day Café & Bakery, Southern Avenue
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