Actress Sheena Chohan, who began her journey in the industry with The Train, starring opposite legendary actor Mammootty, is going to have a jam-packed year ahead. She speaks to The Pioneer about her upcoming projects, love for south films and more
Tejal Sinha
Acting is like an art form; you have to know your craft. There’s no point in having a million followers on Instagram if you can’t act, believes actress Sheena Chohan, who initially started off her journey in theatre, first representing Kolkata at the National Theatre.
It was her talent and love for her craft that made her get entry into the film world in 2011, starring alongside actor Mammootty in The Train. Sheena says, “Arts are highly important to society; the arts have more effect on society than anything else because they affect how we think, and how we think determines what we do, and what we do is what makes the world. So I pick roles that will help in some way — even if it’s only just to entertain — but the roles I cherish have a story in them that brings hope, inspires change, or lifts hearts.”
Well, if she’s fascinated by a character, she’d go the extra mile in order to do as much research as possible. About her upcoming projects, she shares, “For my new biopic Sant Tukaram opposite Subodh Bhave, I was up at 5 a.m. on the fields with the village women. For my part opposite Kajol in The Trial, I spent three weekends visiting Catholic Churches and spending time with Christian girls who were like my character. Even in the project I just finished shooting, where I play a She-Demon, I had to read everything I could on such supernatural characters. It is so much fun, and I try to look for that excitement in every role I get. So when picking a role, I want a character that the director and producer are interested in developing strongly — someone I and they believe in. The main thing I learned in theatre was about researching characters, discipline, and that my job is to be a blank page for my director, so I especially look for a role where the director has a strong vision that I can help him or her create.”
She really loved playing the character of Jijabai, not just because there was so much fascinating research to do to understand her and fit into her character, but also because she was such a strong woman. Meanwhile, there’s also a film titled Justice, in which she plays the lead alongside Rajshri Deshpande. She further expressed that this film is going to be very emotional for her since it was the last film by Bengali director Bappaditya Bandopadhyay before he passed away. Sheena had recently finished shooting for a Hindi web series, and by the end of the year, she had a Hollywood film shot during the pandemic called Nomad, which equaled the Guinness World Record for most countries shot in.
The industry that brings you a breakthrough into the film world always remains special, and so it is for Sheena as well. While her hands have been full of movies and series, we asked her if she’s open to doing more South South films. Having been launched in the South opposite superstar Mammooty, Sheena enthuses that she’d love to do more work in the South. “My career path has been so unconventional. I feel It is key to remain honest about what you believe in, stay true to your integrity, have your power of choice, but go with the flow with a dedication to your true purpose in action, and that’s how change happens. Acting is my passion and love; the skill of acting takes so much of my time and attention, so I talk to so many directors, other actors, and film lovers, and what they want is good content! They don’t want repetitive, mindless, or senseless stories; they want realistic, relevant, entertaining, or original content. That’s something the South specialises in. For me, all I care about is helping directors and producers by delivering great acting performances that truly understand the characters they want to tell the story of. The South is creating incredible characters, and I’m definitely interested in being on some of those magnificent sets.”
She adds, “I gravitate towards what naturally moves and excites me, so I am open to roles in the south. To do more Malayalam and even Telugu films would be amazing, but I hope that happens on its own, organically.”
“I like to help; I like to create a positive difference in the world, but this character is wicked and devilish, and it was fun,” shares Sheena when asked about whether she likes to play the character that describes Sheena in real life or let her go out of her comfort zone. She further reveals in our conversation that in one of her upcoming projects, she plays a character that could not be more opposite to her. “Acting is wonderful because it lets you look into the hearts of and understand the motives and actions of others — the arts are actually a branch of philosophy — so I am more than happy to play characters who are way out of my comfort zone. I love people, I love humanity, and I believe in the basic goodness of mankind, so I want to play as many and as varied characters as I can,” enthuses Sheena, who feels lucky enough to meet Raju Hirani and present him her human rights film and loves the way he brings out the perfect blend of drama, comedy, and moral values that India loves. She further shares that she’s enjoyed working with Madhuri Dixit, Kajol, and Aditya Om on the Sant Tukaram biopic.
OTT has recently changed the dynamics of the type of content one sees and makes. Lately, we’ve seen a lot of women-centric shows and films on OTT. Well, take the example of Yashoda or her upcoming project, The Trial.
“I feel gone are the days when women were restricted within the sphere of portraying the role of only an eye-candy,” she shares, adding that actresses today are taking centre stage, and how! However, “Content is the king in any OTT show or film. For me, it is always about the story and character. It’s got to be uplifting, entertaining, and impactful. So yes, Here’s to women’s power. In fact, female-centric shows are becoming increasingly popular. For example, the next show that I am a part of, The Trial (initially called The Good Wife), stars Kajol and is very women-centric. Suparn Verma has directed it powerfully. It’s a fantastic time for women actors in the film industry. We’re a beautiful film-going nation. I can see the start of a new revolution through a good script, great makers, and an audience that is willing to learn and enjoy different kinds of cinema.”
