In a decade-long career, Fatima Sana Shaikh has played a wide range of roles, from Geeta Phogat to PM Indira Gandhi. Yet the actor says that, barring a few exceptions, there are few layered, good roles for women in the Hindi entertainment industry. The actor, who plays a police officer in the new web series, Hunkkaar, talks about her role, and why actors sometimes are forced to take parts they don’t want to.
There are few good roles for women
Hunkkaar, streaming on JioHotstar, is the story of a teenager accusing a self-proclaimed godman of sexual assault. Fatima plays ACP Jasleen Singh Soin, the investigating officer of the case. She says she is grateful for the role, but laments, “Ladkiyon ke liye ache roles bahut kam aate hain (Women get few good roles), the layered characters. The men get to explore their true potential as actors. They get the opportunities.”
Fatima says the dearth of good opportunities for women is not specific to the entertainment industry. “Cinema is a reflection of society. The gender roles are very clearly defined,” she says, adding, “There, you need some individual who says, ‘No, I want to do something different’. If and when that happens, and the luck is in our favour, we get those opportunities.”
The actor says that the difference in how men and women are portrayed extends to the nuance with which the characters are treated. She argues, “Unfortunately, when women are shown to be grey, you are a vixen or a chudail. We are still stuck in that vamp stereotype. I hope that it changes because you can have a wonderful woman character who is also confused. But we haven’t even reached there. Hopefully, we’ll get there soon.”
‘Hum ameer ghar se nahi hain’
In her career, Fatima has worked in a dozen films and three web series. She says many actors today are not prolific because of these limited options. “Sometimes, the choices are limited. There are times when you have to do work that you don’t want to,” she says bluntly. But then what compels actors to say yes to projects they don’t like? Fatima responds, “Hum log koi ameer ghar se to hain nahi (We are not from rich families). There are times when you have to compromise, and you choose what is best from whatever little comes to you. It is about timing, too. A show or a film works, and you get 10 others. If it doesn’t work, your options get limited. But you try to make the best of what you have. However much you romanticise and want to do different kinds of things, you are not putting in the money. You aren’t the producer. You need the money.”
All about Hunkkaar
Hunkkaar: The Roar stars Fatima Sana Shaikh, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, Raghubir Yadav, Aneet Padda, Ram Kapoor, Arjun Mathur, and Zoya Hussain. The series focuses on a schoolgirl’s allegation of sexual harassment against a revered self-proclaimed godman and the investigation into it. It is streaming on JioHotstar.