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Tabu on her unconventional film choices, working with Vishal Bhardwaj after 12 years and playing a mother to Shahid Kapoor in Haider
Ever the recluse, Tabu isn’t too fond of giving interviews. But when we sit down and I ask her what still gets her excited enough to continue pursuing acting, her eyes light up! There’s no denying her ability to make each character her own. In Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider, she plays a complex character — as Shahid Kapoor’s mom. Excerpts…
You’ve played dark characters in Maqbool andHaider. What attracts you to them?
I am able to see myself easily in them. I feel a sense of alignment with the emotions of these characters. Also, with Vishal, this is his area and a playground for you as an actor. These characters are roles to die for. Vishal’s writing is his forte, so it’s great fun to do these scenes. The dialogues are so good that you don’t have to do much… just get on the set and say them.
How different was it shooting both films?
It was very cold during Haider, and extremely hot during Maqbool! I remember the temperature hitting close to 50 degrees in Bhopal, while we were freezing in Kashmir. That apart, they are completely different stories and characters. In Maqbool, Nimmi was unconsciously cunning. In Haider you still don’t know what her intentions are. Vishal and I got back together after 12 years, and we have grown as people, after a long journey and are at different places in life than we were in Maqbool.
Can women-centric films make as much money as big-hero projects?
It isn’t just enough to have an author-backed role for a woman. Woman or man, the most challenging part is to get people to come to theatres to watch your movie. It’s the biggest leveller for anyone. No matter how big you might be as an actor or an actress, the task of convincing the audience to come watch your work is never going to change. I feel it’s the writing and the director who can make or break a film.
Over the years you’ve been choosy with your work. Does that intimidate filmmakers?
You think so?A lot of people think this way, in fact when they meet me they tell me, we wanted to cast you, but we felt you wouldn’t be interested. But they should at least come and ask me (laughs). But I agree that people haven’t been able to judge and come to a conclusion about the kind of roles that I might say a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to. Also, they don’t know that apart from the role there are many other factors for which I say yes or no. Sometimes I say no because of money, or because I can’t trust that person. Eventually, the roles that will come to me will be similar, I don’t expect someone to come with something out of this world, so I make my decision based on the comfort level I have with that film maker or co-actor.
What made you choose Jai Ho?
I am a product of hardcore commercial cinema. I have always done commercial films right from the beginning. People tend to forget that, because I did films like Hu Tu Tu or Astitva and others. With Jai Ho, there were many factors that I was comfortable with, so it was very easy for me to say yes. It was a simple decision where I didn’t have to think.
How different is it working today from the ‘90s ?
Everyone has vanity vans. There are a lot more people in a unit now than before. I think that actors today are very interactive, out there, open, sharing. Also, directors and actors are more like friends then the days before! The biggest difference is that there are a lot more people and staff in every department.
Were you nervous playing Shahid’s mother in Haider?
I overlooked the mother part because I see characters for what they are. It’s incidental that she’s a mother. And my choices have always reflected that. So I have always gravitated to characters I can play with, these are choices I have gravitated toward. Thereafter, the fact that the character is a mother, aunty or a sister has been secondary. I didn’t want to say no to Haider just because she’s a mother. It would have been a pity if I hadn’t got a chance to experience this journey. It does look odd because there isn’t a huge age gap between Shahid and me, but that is also a reason why Vishal wanted to cast me. Our relationship is supposed to be odd.
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