Two major milestones for the entertainment industry, especially amid the pandemic, were the rise of OTT platforms and the diversification of content. These have helped regional actors receive nation- and worldwide attention. Swastika Mukherjee successfully ventured into the OTT space after earning considerable fame in Bengali cinema. The Kolkata-based actress, who was in Delhi for a book launch on Friday, engaged in a candid chat with The Morning Standard as she shared snippets from her career and more.
Finding her calling
Reflecting on her foray into acting, Swastika—she is the daughter of Santu Mukherjee, who is “a big name in the Bengali film industry”—recalls, “I was pursuing my graduation at Jadavpur University in Kolkata when a renowned director came looking for new faces for a daily soap and selected 15 or 16 of us. We were excited to shoot together and earn pocket money without our parents knowing. That was motivation at the time.” Despite not taking acting seriously at the start, the 42-year-old actress found her true calling over time and got sucked into the world of entertainment.
Swastika starred in commercial films such as Chokher Bali (2003), Bye Bye Bangkok (2011), and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015), among others. In her career spanning more than two-and-a-half decades, her talent extended beyond the silver screen when she decided to work in TV and on OTT platforms. Speaking about her most special work to date, the avid dog lover talks about her role in the web series Paatal Lok (2020), “The joy I felt working with the dog was incredible. Even if I work with Shah Rukh Khan in the future, nothing can replace the special experience I had on the set of Paatal Lok.”
Embracing diversity
Swastika was drawn to Qala (2022) because of the script and her desire to work with Anvita Dutt after watching the director’s work on Bulbbul (2020). Urmila—Swastika’s character in Qala—was complex and required extensive prep work. “In this film, both Tripti (Tripti Dimri who plays the role of Qala Manjushree) and I had huge emotional curves—very good, very bad. The character I played had postpartum depression. I was always feeling bad and kept on telling Anvita that this is too much cruelty,” she shares.
Positive about the future of OTT, Swastika divulges that she believes the audience is becoming more mature. Citing recent examples such as Alia Bhatt’s film Darlings (2022) and the series Class (2023), she highlighted that these scripts showcased the raw reality of domestic abuse and the struggles of everyday life minus any filter.
“I think the entertainment industry is trying to portray reality as is—raw, honest, not embellished. With OTT and the content that we get to see from all over the world, the audience is becoming more receptive,” she says. The actress also adds that though a slow process, it is still a good sign. “Before I say ‘tata’ and ‘bye-bye’ to my career, maybe I will see the change,” Swastika signs off.
QUICK FOUR
Favourite food joint in Delhi: Karim’s, Old Delhi
Favourite food: Matka Cream
Favourite place to visit in Delhi: Humayun’s Tomb
A lesson the city has taught me: If it’s only with a girl gang, don’t go out at night.