Actress Swara Bhasker’s performance was appreciated in films like Tanu Weds Manu, Raanjhanaa and Anarkali of Aarah among others. However, despite much critical acclaim, the actress did not appear in many mainstream movies. Known for never mincing her words, Swara attributes her lack of work opportunities to her candour and political opinions.
Speaking to Connect Cine recently, she said, “I am tagged as a controversial actor. Directors, producers, and distributors start speaking ill of you. Aapki ek image ban jati hai. It’s not that it doesn’t worry me but I have managed to stay afloat but the thing that really hurts me is that I didn’t have my fill of the thing I love the most — acting.”
She also said, “You can say, ‘I can take a bullet in a war’ but when you take a bullet it does hurt. So my opinions have had consequences. Before my daughter Raabiyaa was born, acting was my biggest passion and my greatest love. I loved acting and practice. I wanted to do so many roles and acting assignments. I didn’t get as many chances as I wanted. There is a cost to not getting so many acting projects, including financial and emotional. There is a reputational anxiety.”
Swara said that it was a conscious decision for her to make her opinions heard. She said, “I don’t want to act like I am a victim. I chose this path. I decided that I will be vocal and put forth my opinion on issues. I could’ve chosen to stay silent. There was no need for me to write an open letter, expressing my discontent on the Johar scene in Padmaavat. Mujhe koi zarurat nahin thi (There was no need for me to do it).”
“Aap mere se kai saari shikayatein kar sakte hain. Aap mujhe pasand yaa napasand kar sakte hain. Mujhe lagta hai ki jo log mujhse nafrat karte hain woh bhi yeh nahin keh sakte hi yeh jhoothi hain ya yeh fake hai. (You can have complaints against me. You may like or despise me. But even those who hate me can’t say that I am a lair or I am fake). They can’t say I pretend to be someone I am not. My opinion doesn’t change according to my conversations with people. I am the same with everyone. Agar main yeh sab nahin kehti to ghut ghut ke mar jati (If I hadn’t expressed myself I would have felt suffocated),” she said.
The actress also recalled that after the screening of her last film, Jahaan Chaar Yaar, her husband, Fahad Ahman told her that she should stop being vocal about her opinions so she could get more films as she is a good actor. She said, “Woh film bahot zyada chali nahin thi par maine bahot mehnat ki thi (That film didn’t do well but I had worked really hard for the role) because if you see the role is nothing like me in real because she is very submissive. After the screening, he came out and told me, ‘Tumne sach mein bahot bada sacrifice kiya hai manna padega. Tum itni acchi actress ho tumhe aur kaam karna chahiye tha. Ab tum chup hojao aur filmein karo. (You have really made a big sacrifice. You’re a talented actress and you should be doing more films. You should stop speaking out now and only focus on working in films).’”
“In that moment, I felt very seen. I don’t really share my pain of not being in films even with my parents. My brother understands a little bit because I don’t usually talk about it… I have only started addressing it now after my daughter was born. That evening I felt he really understands me,” she added.
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