Actor Smita Tambe believes the biggest strength of cinema lies in its collective effort. While actors may become the face of a film, she says every person working behind the scenes contributes equally to the final product. Having built a career around character-driven roles, Smita who was recently seen in Bharat Bhagya Vidhata says she considers herself fortunate to be associated with stories that value performances over star power.
“I’ve always felt blessed that the films I get to do are character-driven. But filmmaking is never about one actor,” she tells us. “Every head of department, every makeup artist, every hairstylist, every light technician, every camera person, every editor and every member of the crew contributes to making a film what it is. Actors are just one department. That’s what should be celebrated,” she elaborates.
While her recent release Bharat Bhagya Vidhata received a modest response at the box office, Smita believes collections alone should never become the yardstick to judge an actor’s work. She points out that a film’s commercial performance is influenced by several external factors, making appreciation for an actor’s craft equally important.
“Box office collections depend on a lot of external factors. As an actor, I don’t think that’s something I can control,” explains Smita, adding: “A producer’s perspective and an actor’s perspective are different. An actor’s entire career cannot be judged only by box office numbers. Appreciation for your work is equally important.”
The film also saw her collaborate once again with actor-politician Kangana Ranaut, who she has worked with on multiple projects over the years. Asked what she admires most about Ranaut, Tambe is quick to pinpoint her “deep involvement in the creative process”.
“If you look at Kangana’s journey as an actor, you’ll see how deeply involved she is. She understands the script, discusses scenes, gives inputs and communicates. She has immense knowledge, and working with someone who is so invested in the process makes me very proud,” she says.