I am not fickle-minded-Shweta Kawaatra

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Monika

@monika.goel

Sparkler

Posted: 19 years ago

I am not fickle-minded

It's just that Shweta Kawaatra is particular about her roles, and if she doesn't like the way they shape up, she walks out

Reena Thapar Kapoor

Shweta Kawaatra

You've been missing in action for a long time now!
I've been on a break for the past six months. I've been travelling for work, and also holidaying. Recently, I went to Canada, Australia, USA, Malyasia... After our wedding, Manav (Gohil) and we didn't get enough time to spend with each other as we were both busy with our schedules. But we made up for it by travelling together.

But don't you think an actor has to network – be seen at parties and mahurats – to gain work?
I lack PR skills. I do party once in a while, but only with my set of friends. I hate attending parities just for the heck of being written about. I'd rather let my work speak for me. I've lost out on work and opportunities due to my shy and laid-back nature.

You've been credited as a good actor, yet you haven't been doing much work.
It's great to be known as a good actor; after all, we work for that recognition. But, I don't get swayed by compliments. I want to take up work that satisfies me. The reason you don't see much of me on TV is because I believe there is a dearth of good roles. As a result of which we have to make do with the clichd ones and then we invariably end up applauding them. I wish writers would step out and start thinking beyond the predictable. But having said that, I wouldn't call myself a good actor. I'm just convincing and that's good enough. Good actors were the ones who did Hum Log and Buniyaad. But today, I'm not sure if our audience has the sensibility to watch or even like those shows. I've been around in the industry for a long time, but I can call myself a good actor only after I've had the opportunity to experiment with various characters.

Your friendship with Saakshi was the talk of the town when the two of you worked together in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki. Do you have the same equation today?
Professionally, Saakshi and I got along extremely well. But, we weren't the best of friends. Since we spent so much time together on the sets, people mistook our equation for close friendship. I will not deny that we got along well. There wasn't any competition between us. In fact, she was a very generous person, and working with her was an experience that I'll always cherish.

What would you like to change about this industry?
The industry is full of stars and starlets. There aren't any actors here. The only few people I can call 'actors' are Kiran Karmarkar, Varun Badola, Rajeshwari Sachdev... you can count the professionals on your fingers. Most people are here for the glamour and money. There's nothing wrong with that but I wish they'd also give acting a serious thought.

You keep joining and walking out of shows (Saath Phere, for example)…one gets the idea you are fickle-minded.
I am not! I walked out of Saath Phere because the role didn't develop the way I thought it would. The producer and I both realised and understood that. The parting was very amicable from both ends.

What would you say is your forte – playing negative or positive roles?
If I had a choice, I'd play a grey or a black character over a goody goody positive one. Playing a vamp is a lot more challenging than the tear-shedding martyr. No offence to anyone but I think a negative role has a better scope of performance. Currently, I'm excited about Parvati Balgopan's new show that Manav and I are acting in. It's a ten-episode romantic comedy that will be aired on Zee Smile.