Posted:
RELATED
NEW DELHI: Surekha Sikri is a special actor. Anyone who has seen films like Hari Bhari and Mammo, television serials such as Tamas and Balika Vadhu or plays like Tughlaq would vouch for that. In a candid interview, the 68-year-old actor shares her thoughts on films, theatre and television today.
What are your memories of Tamas, which is being re-telecast now?
Tamas happened many years ago. I was in NSD repertory in Delhi when Govind-ji (Govind Nihalani, director of Tamas) called up. He wanted me to do the serial. So I came to Mumbai and started shooting in Chandiwali. Govind-ji likes to do quality work with attention to detail so I enjoyed working with him. In the process I met some very fine actors like Bhisham Sahni-ji who was also the writer of the book. There was Dina-bahen (Pathak), Om Puri and all. So it was a lot of fun.
Its 26 years since the first telecast of Tamas. Looking back, what do you see in the series? What is its relevance today?
History tells us that we must not repeat our mistakes. One must learn from mistakes. So it's good to see the series again. The country is veering towards a lot of violence lately and there's no amity amongst the people.
What role do you see for popular forms of entertainment in creating consciousness towards communal harmony?
As far as fiction is concerned, I think there should be more emphasis on issues of national integration. In other fields like news channels, there's a lot of misquoting, drama and misreporting of issues that adds to the tension. Often it appears as if there is an agenda to depict a community or a group in a certain light.
You are a veteran in the field of theatre. What drew you to it?
(Laughs). Actually I wanted to be a journalist. I don't know how I landed in theatre. I'd say it was sheer chance.
That's interesting as you are remembered for iconic plays like Tughlaq.
It's basically a male-oriented play with very good roles for men. For actresses it was limiting though I got a fairly good role as sauteli ma (stepmother). Ebrahim Alkazi did the production in Purana Qila in Delhi. Quite a bad production actually with costumes coming off and props not proper, but it was worth the effort.
What are your memories of Delhi and how do you see it today now that you live in Mumbai?
I haven't been to Delhi lately but I believe it's quite clean and green. It's very pretty. One misses the jamun trees. When I came to Mumbai from Delhi in the 1980s the first thing I noticed was the garbage. After one lives here, one gets used to the sight and one doesn't really notice it. For someone from outside, the sight of garbage jumps at you.
You are quite a recluse. With your kind of talent why do we see so little of you?
It takes me time to decide. All depends on the script. If I feel like doing it, only then I take it up. Commercial cinema has become interesting lately with interesting possibilities for actors like me. Earlier, it was something else. There would be bad editing with the story only being in the head of the director.
So would you like to do films now since its interesting times in cinema?
Very interesting films are being made today with good characters and stories. Directors like Shoojit Sircar, Dibakar Banerjee and that boy of Gandu (Qaushiq Mukherjee better known as Q) are all very good. But there's a limited scope for artists of certain age. So I'm not looking at films right now. But you never know if some interesting offer comes up. Then I might think about it. Besides that one show Balika Vadhu is keeping me occupied. Rest of the time I like to keep to myself.
Your character of dadi sa (grandmother) in Balika Vadhu connects far and wide for being so close to reality. How did you interpret the character what with its Rajasthani dialect?
I'd say that the character developed by itself. It just kept growing. Initially, when the script first came to me, there was no such notion of playing the character in a certain dialect etc. Since the woman comes from a feudal, rustic background dealing with farmers and labourers, she's bound to be very traditional and old-fashioned. And hence has to have the dialect and persona of the place she belongs to.
What drew you to television?
I got into television when I moved to Mumbai from Delhi. While exploring the scene I got to know about a couple of interesting shows and since I had no hang-ups about big screen or small screen, I took it up. For me a work of art is a work of art, whether it's big or small. When I'm given a role I do my best. The forward journey is a very interesting process of discovering the character. So as I got good roles, I continued to get absorbed in television.
What do you do in your free time? What kind of books and music do you like to read and listen to?
I love to read and I think a lot. In fact I think a great deal about human energy and why we are born. I'm interested in the mysteries of spiritual life. The unknown really excites me and draws me a lot. I love music very much — Indian classical and Carnatic music are my favourites. In Indian classical I like to listen to Dhrupad a lot. If there's a good film, then I do like to watch it. As for plays I'd love to watch them but the traffic and potholes in Mumbai are killing.
What are your memories of Tamas, which is being re-telecast now?
Tamas happened many years ago. I was in NSD repertory in Delhi when Govind-ji (Govind Nihalani, director of Tamas) called up. He wanted me to do the serial. So I came to Mumbai and started shooting in Chandiwali. Govind-ji likes to do quality work with attention to detail so I enjoyed working with him. In the process I met some very fine actors like Bhisham Sahni-ji who was also the writer of the book. There was Dina-bahen (Pathak), Om Puri and all. So it was a lot of fun.
Its 26 years since the first telecast of Tamas. Looking back, what do you see in the series? What is its relevance today?
History tells us that we must not repeat our mistakes. One must learn from mistakes. So it's good to see the series again. The country is veering towards a lot of violence lately and there's no amity amongst the people.
What role do you see for popular forms of entertainment in creating consciousness towards communal harmony?
As far as fiction is concerned, I think there should be more emphasis on issues of national integration. In other fields like news channels, there's a lot of misquoting, drama and misreporting of issues that adds to the tension. Often it appears as if there is an agenda to depict a community or a group in a certain light.
You are a veteran in the field of theatre. What drew you to it?
(Laughs). Actually I wanted to be a journalist. I don't know how I landed in theatre. I'd say it was sheer chance.
That's interesting as you are remembered for iconic plays like Tughlaq.
It's basically a male-oriented play with very good roles for men. For actresses it was limiting though I got a fairly good role as sauteli ma (stepmother). Ebrahim Alkazi did the production in Purana Qila in Delhi. Quite a bad production actually with costumes coming off and props not proper, but it was worth the effort.
What are your memories of Delhi and how do you see it today now that you live in Mumbai?
I haven't been to Delhi lately but I believe it's quite clean and green. It's very pretty. One misses the jamun trees. When I came to Mumbai from Delhi in the 1980s the first thing I noticed was the garbage. After one lives here, one gets used to the sight and one doesn't really notice it. For someone from outside, the sight of garbage jumps at you.
You are quite a recluse. With your kind of talent why do we see so little of you?
It takes me time to decide. All depends on the script. If I feel like doing it, only then I take it up. Commercial cinema has become interesting lately with interesting possibilities for actors like me. Earlier, it was something else. There would be bad editing with the story only being in the head of the director.
So would you like to do films now since its interesting times in cinema?
Very interesting films are being made today with good characters and stories. Directors like Shoojit Sircar, Dibakar Banerjee and that boy of Gandu (Qaushiq Mukherjee better known as Q) are all very good. But there's a limited scope for artists of certain age. So I'm not looking at films right now. But you never know if some interesting offer comes up. Then I might think about it. Besides that one show Balika Vadhu is keeping me occupied. Rest of the time I like to keep to myself.
Your character of dadi sa (grandmother) in Balika Vadhu connects far and wide for being so close to reality. How did you interpret the character what with its Rajasthani dialect?
I'd say that the character developed by itself. It just kept growing. Initially, when the script first came to me, there was no such notion of playing the character in a certain dialect etc. Since the woman comes from a feudal, rustic background dealing with farmers and labourers, she's bound to be very traditional and old-fashioned. And hence has to have the dialect and persona of the place she belongs to.
What drew you to television?
I got into television when I moved to Mumbai from Delhi. While exploring the scene I got to know about a couple of interesting shows and since I had no hang-ups about big screen or small screen, I took it up. For me a work of art is a work of art, whether it's big or small. When I'm given a role I do my best. The forward journey is a very interesting process of discovering the character. So as I got good roles, I continued to get absorbed in television.
What do you do in your free time? What kind of books and music do you like to read and listen to?
I love to read and I think a lot. In fact I think a great deal about human energy and why we are born. I'm interested in the mysteries of spiritual life. The unknown really excites me and draws me a lot. I love music very much — Indian classical and Carnatic music are my favourites. In Indian classical I like to listen to Dhrupad a lot. If there's a good film, then I do like to watch it. As for plays I'd love to watch them but the traffic and potholes in Mumbai are killing.
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
