Shikha Talsania: Many Actors Are Getting Work and Credit Due to OTT But We Have Long Way to Go

Actor Shikha Talsania, who made an impressive debut with Ayan Mukerji’s Wake Up Sid, turns a year older today. On her special occasion, she speaks to us about the recent success of her web shows Shantit Kranti and Potluck. She also talks about how streaming platforms have opened new avenues for actors and why theatre is not a dying industry. Excerpts from the interview:

How do you plan to celebrate your birthday?

There are no big plans. I am planning to have dinner with the family and my closest friends

Any fond memories of your birthday as a kid?

The old school cakes with the buttercream frosting! And also skip a class in school to go and distribute candies to all the other classes.

OTT has been majorly ruled by investigative thrillers and crime shows. Shantit Kranti and Potluck were a refreshing change. What drew you to these two shows?

Exactly that! Both were a refreshing change. Shantit Kranti was created by dear friends Sarang and Paula and I have admired their work for years. The fact that I got the opportunity to work with my friends, the wonderfully nuanced story, the character that I got to play – all played a factor in choosing Shantit Kranti. The biggest pull for me though was the challenge to do a Marathi web series- Being a Mumbai girl, I know the language, but performing in a language that you aren’t very fluent in that was exciting.

Being Prena (her character) in Potluck was meant to be! The urban middle class family dynamics, the humour, the heart and soul of Potluck, the relatability of the story of our everyday lives- I had to say yes and be a part of it.

Shantit Kranti is your first attempt at a regional cinema. What has your whole experience been like?

It was exciting, nerve-wracking and an absolute joy. The challenge of performing in a language that one isn’t fluent in was extremely exciting. We watch content from all over our country and the world in different languages. So, the opportunity to expand your own experience was extremely thrilling for me.

You have known Sarang Sathaye, Paula McGlynn (founders of Bhadipa) and have worked with them in the past. Was that also one of the reasons that you said yes to Shantit Kranti?

Yes, Sarang and I have performed in a few plays together and I have been fangirling over him since then. I have been the president of their company Bhadipa since its inception. I have admired all the content they have created and put out over the years. So, when I was asked if I would be a part of Shantit Kranti, it was obviously a yes.

A lot of regional content irrespective of the language has been appreciated by the audience. Would you attribute this change to OTT?

OTT platforms have made content so much more accessible. It has also created a wider avenue to create and be part of stories from every corner of our country and the world.

With OTT coming in strongly over the past few years, do you think actors who were probably not getting enough work, are finally getting their due?

Every actor, every artist will attest to the fact that if there are opportunities, if there are more avenues to create- we will take them. That’s art. With OTT there are more opportunities and avenues available for artists to experiment with their craft. I definitely agree that many actors are getting work and credit due to streaming platforms. But, we have a long way to go. I hope that this trajectory goes from strength to strength and opens up more and I hope we don’t slip up when it comes to numbers.

You have been a theatre artiste. How do you look at the future of the theatre industry which many believe is already a dying breed? Also, what can be done for its revival?

Nobel Laureate John Stienbeck once said, ‘Theatre is the only institution in the world which has been dying for four thousand years and has never succumbed.’ I agree with him. Live theatre will never die, it must adapt, but it won’t die. I don’t think it’s in the doldrums that it needs to be revived. The industry is thriving! The circumstances of the pandemic across the globe have made it difficult to have live performances. I performed three different plays to a packed audience before the second wave hit is a testament to the fact that theatre is not in a need of revival.

Do you think the online/zoom stage shows the future of theatre?

I don’t know. It might be a part of it, but I don’t think it will be only that. Human beings are social animals. Nothing can replace the magic of experiencing live performance.

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