Acoy daughter in Anupama, a sultry cabaret dancer in An Evening in Paris, and a relentless mother in Aradhana—winsome Bengali and Hindi film actress Sharmila Tagore plays the matriarch to a dysfunctional Batra family in Gulmohar.
Last seen in Breakup Ke Baad with Deepika Padukone and Imran Khan, Tagore bid adieu to her illustrious 51-year-old film career in 2010. While she kept away from the big screen, her performance as Satyajit Ray and Shakti Samanta’s muse in films like Nayak (1996), Aranyer Din Ratri (1970), Seemabaddha (1971), Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) and Amar Prem (1972) have definitely passed the test of time.
Known for playing strong female characters on-screen with a unique depth and relatability factor, Tagore makes her comeback after a 12-year-long hiatus, and that too in the digital space—this time around she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Directed by debutante Rahul V Chittella, the film chronicles the lives of the Batra clan that is greatly attached to their ancestral home, Gulmohar, which Tagore as Kusum Batra has decided to sell. The film also features acting powerhouses Manoj Bajpayee, Amol Palekar, Suraj Sharma, Simran, Kaveri Seth, and Utsavi Jha.
Ahead of International Women’s Day, we sat for an exclusive chat with the National-award winning Tagore to dive deep into her comeback film, her OTT debut, her character’s similarity to her real self, and her future stints.
Excerpts from the interview:
What made you pick the Rahul V Chittella-directorial as your comeback film? What was it about the script that intrigued you the most?
I chose this film out of the others that I was offered because the character of Kusum spoke to me. We are actors and we get excited to do something that is completely different. I enjoyed working in Mausam (1975) as a sex worker who had so much agency and so much sense of self, and that was completely not me in any way.
However, at this stage of my life, I want to play very positive characters of my age and Kusum appealed to me. She is not barred by age. She has a sense of purpose. She, in a very understated way, asserts herself. She keeps her family together. Although she is very connected, she’s not needy. I am an observer and Kusum is also an observer. She has brought up her own children. She has seen her grandchildren now but part of her is still aloof. All these aspects of Kusum and my memories of my past made me want to play her in Rahul’s film.
You have been touted as the actress who represents everyday women with her characters. At the same time, you are graceful and distinct with your beauty, and private in your ways. How do you balance this?
It was not a conscious balancing; it was following my heart. I was always aware of the world outside and I was always interested in that world. I considered myself part of a bigger picture and filming was a very important part of that. But, it was not the whole world. I didn’t want to compete with the world and I wanted to live according to my own values, which I did.
In the trailer, we also see your co-star Manoj Bajpayee complain about how the family has grown distant despite living under the same roof. How does the family stay together?
I feel, if you are connected with your family in your mind, you don’t have to hold onto them so tightly or be around them physically or geographically all the time.
In the film, the ancestral home is given the utmost importance and it is a part of the Batra family’s identity. The Pataudi Palace in Gurugram holds a similar significance for your family. Tell us a bit about the reel and real-life parallel?
Houses are part of your memory. They are your touchstone. Your childhood has been spent there. To my son, Saif also, houses mean a lot. It is right to be attached to the house because whatever you remember about your childhood is in the backdrop of those four walls. My children love Pataudi because our ancestors are buried there, so, it is a very special place for us. We don’t look at it as a grand commercial structure. It is a part of our life.
When a house is being demolished, a part of you will miss that, most certainly. But then you also have to learn to move on. You have to create new memories and built a new space for them. I survived in Mumbai alone at the age of 17 because I had my family behind me. They were not with me physically, but I knew I was Gitindranath Tagore’s daughter. I had a sense of self and I survived. I made my mistakes but I survived, and houses give you that sense of belonging. That belonging calms you down from the inside.
Did being away from the screen for such a long time pose any challenges?
No, it did not. I was very comfortable. Everybody was concentrating on their work while being relaxed and after that, we would all chat and be friendly. We had become a family, so the entire experience was wonderful.
What made you make your comeback on OTT rather than the big screen?
I looked at the character and wanted to be a part of the film. And I’m very happy now that the film is done. I don’t regret that decision. I hope people will like it but if they don’t like it, it won’t shatter me. I have done the right thing. I don’t need to be a crowd-pleaser. I’m not calculating my life. For me, it is not the OTT or the theatrical release; it’s the character that I’m playing. At the end of my life, I will look at what I have done. When I make a film, I feel wonderful. OTT is such a beautiful platform. I have seen so many films that normally I would not have seen. You can sit in the comfort of your home and watch it.
Gulmohar is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar