Just like her past roles, actress Tisca Chopra tries to inspire herself and the audience with her latest outing Hostages. By Team Viva
It was playing the supportive, loving mother of Ishaan Awasthi, a child struggling with dyslexia, that made her rose to fame. The role was followed by many more strong characters, which left a mark on the audience. Be it Mehar in Qissa, Nandita Arora in Ankur Arora Murder Case, Anushka Narang in Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji or even Vanita in the short film Chutney, Tisca hasn’t only given the audience some formidable roles to remember but a peek into everyday people’s lives, which might usually go unnoticed.
A new addition to the list is Dr Meera Anand from web series Hostages, a remake of the eponymous Israeli drama. The show, which currently can be streamed on Hotstar, is making waves due to its power-packed performances and a gripping tale. When Dr Meera, a surgeon, is selected to operate the Chief Minister, a group of criminals led by an ex-cop (Ronit Roy) wants her to kill. If she refuses, they threaten to harm her family.
Tisca, who has never shied away from picking up bold roles, says that she was instantly drawn towards the script and her role when she first learnt about it. “I have never done a role as powerful as Dr Meera. She’s a very strong and positive person. She is under a tremendous pressure of saving her family. And then there is the chief minister, whose life is her responsibility as a doctor. But her journey is all about how positive she stays till the end and doesn’t lose her calm. I see her very powerful in that sense,” says she.
However, prepping for the role was a task. She explains, “I have been a part of a film, which was based on medical negligence and murders and with doctors around (in Ankur Arora Murder Case). But here I was the one who had to play a doctor’s role. I realised that there were so many things to be kept in mind like the body language of a doctor. The way she looks at things and then tries to find out a solution in a crisis, that is something doctors come across everyday in their lives.”
The actress who has been a part of television, short films, Bollywood cinema as well as a web series now, tells us what has been the most challenging of all. She adds, “There is no competition. Everything brings its own kind of challenges and are equally demanding. Television has very long hours and even there I mostly like reality TV and not fiction. Theatre requires a lot of preparation. Films are a different field altogether. And then comes the web shows, which are like making many films of an hour each.”
For the actress, it’s the story that is the most crucial. She says, “I am not a person who likes to repeat herself or take up easy things. I like roles that are challenging to play. They keep me busy and engrossed in the particular character. Who likes to do the same things over and over again? My roles should inspire me and as well the audience.” She adds that just like in Taare Zameen Par, her roles should be those which she agrees with.
While everyone has a creative process, the actress shares that she has seen a great change in the way she has evolved as an actor with the evolving scene of the Indian cinema. “Today, with better and stronger roles for women coming up, even they are ready to take up more challenging ones. I have felt that it’s not just about looking beautiful and glamourous anymore but doing a character which has much more layers. The audience today has been very loud and clear in stating that they want more content-based cinema, far more than just the normal, typical ‘masala movies’ one. And this is why it is a great time to be in cinema, especially for women. I have been more fierce in picking up roles and auditioning for them as compared to my initial years in the industry. It’s because of the growing demand for such women who can symbolise power and strength. There is so much to explore today,” says she as she heads towards another power-packed role.
