JOIN USIt is not very often that one gets to see an actor who can make a mark on her own in the film industry without any sort of backing. However, Shweta Pandit is different, and has worked up the ladder. And after close to five years, she has made her presence felt in the industry.
Having grown up in Sirsi, Shweta recollects that though she did not aspire to be a heroine, she had an inclination towards acting. “In school, I would always participate in cultural events.” She got her break by chance when she came to Bengaluru after getting her portfolio shoot done. “I remember I had no clue as to whom to contact. Luckily, someone gave me the contact of Yogaraj Bhat who was auditioning for a cameo role in his movie Paramatma. I went and got selected, and that is how my journey started,” Shweta quips.
So, was it worrying to opt for a cameo in her first movie? “Yes, I was quite worried that I would get slotted, but I kept auditioning and started getting lead roles soon after that. However, my disappointment lies in the fact that there are many roles which do not give enough scope for performance. I used to be confused initially as I wanted to act and did not want to say no, and yet there was not much to do.”
Shweta feels she has come a long way from being a novice to being able to stand her ground. “I can say that being positive has helped me, and I love what I am doing now. Perhaps with better connections, I could have become a bigger star by now, but that doesn’t concern me. I want to be a big star by doing good quality movies.”
Women power
Shweta is currently looking forward to her next Sandalwood release Urvi, a woman-centric film in which she plays one of three female leads. She, however, admits that while she would like to work on performance-oriented roles, there are very few producers who come forward to produce women-centric cinema. “I worked as an assistant director on Urvi as well ,and some of the prominent producers rejected the script saying that the movie will not run without a hero. But our director Pradeep Varma insisted on waiting as this was his dream subject. Luckily, our teaser was liked by people and it is now ready to be released.”
Incidentally, the three leads portray elements of shakthi, bhakthi and ukti. “One is an intelligent girl who is Ukti, the other woman is always positive, a dreamer, who is Bhakti, and the other one is Shakthi, who believes in taking action, that I play. Urvi means the goddess of circumstances, and the woman who controls her circumstances becomes the goddess herself,” she explains.
Language no barrier
Shweta has also finished shooting for her debut in Tamil, a crime thriller, Enakkoru Kadhali, that will release in March 2017. “This is again based on a social issue and has been presented differently. While it is not preachy, there are commercial elements in it,” she states.
So how does she choose her movies? She reveals, “I think it is the way the script is narrated, presented, and how the screenplay is built. I do look at who the technicians are, as at the end of the day, cinema is all about translating what you say on screen.”
Working in different languages is not a barrier for this young star, but she admits that sometimes political developments can interfere with artistic sensibilities. She explains, “On the positive side, all three industries are great. The brightest part of Kannada movies is the fact that we are now doing different scripts. And being a Kannadiga, I am proud that good movies are being made here, which are being remade in other languages.”
Shweta says she is a travel freak outside work. “I love adventure and at times I just prefer to be at home in my own zone,” she signs off.