Shweta Tripathi Sharma’s family entertainer, ‘Kanjoos Makhichoos’, was well-received by the audiences. For Shweta, comedy is a first of sorts, having done quite a bit of serious and social issues-oriented movies and web series.
Talking about what prompted her to say yes to ‘Kanjoos Makhichoos’, Shweta said, “’Kanjoos Makhichoos’ was a conscious choice. I am happy audiences loved it. ‘Mirzapur’, ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein’, and a new show ‘Kalkut’, which is yet to be announced... I chose Kanjoos Makhichoos as I wanted to make the audiences laugh after watching me in these shows. I have always made them cry. I don’t want to get stamped as a serious performer. Change is the spice of life and, hence, I decided to choose whatever best comes to me. As an actor, you are defined by your work. I am very happy that I tried something different and I have been able to make the people laugh.”
Comedy isn’t everybody’s cup of tea and Shweta agrees. “Mirzapur was a khatarnak khel. Doing comedy is very difficult. If you don’t catch the metre and the beat of the comic time it won’t bring perfection. Your game has to be over and above. You have to pull up your socks when you have Kunal Kemmu and Piyush Mishra in the same frame. These actors are veterans but as it went by I started enjoying doing comedy with all of them. When I watched the scenes, I felt happy. Now, the audiences are responding in the same manner... it feels great,” Shweta shares.
Kunal, being a senior in the industry, brings a lot to the table. So, was it tough on the first day working with Kunal? “I had no apprehensions because I had to do it, as it’s my job. I gave my best to earn the respect I have. When I am working with these actors, I have to give my best so that they also enjoy working with me. I am a professional actor, hence it’s my job to deliver what the writer and director are looking for. I did get butterflies in my stomach. When I put my guard down and let myself go everything went smoothly. I have learnt a lot in my acting profession,” the actress explains.
Shweta has done quite a few OTT projects and has entertained audiences in varied roles. But, she doesn’t worry much about having any theatrical releases. “I have no fear. I only want to be associated with good stories and characters. Be it from Spotify where I did Barbara Gordon for Batman or the stage shows I am producing. I only fear being unable to convince and make my audiences feel the character I am playing. Though, I will never let this happen. OTT has given me so much and I can’t hear anything bad about it. There are so many shows which cannot be featured on the big screen, for example, Patal Lok, and many more. A story is a deciding factor if it can be shot as a series or film. Acting and other spheres of filmmaking and OTT are the same. You can’t act less for OTT and give your best for theatrical releases. You have to do your best for both mediums. Everything depends on your performance and hard work,” she says.
Before signing off, she says, "I am also very ignorant about numbers and I don’t care about box office numbers. I just want to keep working, be it in any medium. Buying tickets is like voting nowadays. So we all have to give our 100 % to a project so that it gets viewed. This is the best time to survive in the industry. You will like to watch whoever you wish to watch. It’s just a demand and supply game. Audiences are responsible to give us more chances if they like us."
The movie, directed by Vipul Mehta, also stars Kunal Kemmu in the lead and is streaming on Zee5.
