Women like us must stand up for the vulnerable and the exploited, says Tisca Chopra
Seventeen years on and Tisca Chopra still loves to bring Taare Zameen Par into her conversation. Not just because the Aamir Khan-directorial was India’s official entry to the Academy Awards that year and got her the top awards and a score of nominations for her portrayal of Maya Awasthy, but for the lessons the movie imparted and the message it conveyed. The film, overall, made a deep impact on her as a person.
Tisca revived the memory of the beautiful film during her interaction with the students of Chitkara University recently. Among other topics like work-life balance, parenting, integration of theatre in education and mental health, she spoke about how being part of the heart-warming story of a dyslexic child moved her, and made her sensitive to other people’s needs and desires.
This trait has been ingrained in her persona. She is not just sensitive towards others’ needs, but vocal too when the situation demands. She recently condemned the Kolkata rape case in strong words. “As the mother of a young girl, how do I feel when another woman is raped? An ‘independent’, educated working woman at her place of work, after working a 36-hour shift. A doctor,” she wrote in her post. Earlier, she had spoken on the exploitation of women in the film industry. Her outbursts brought her admiration and ire from her fraternity in equal measure.
During an informal chit-chat, she tells us about her activism, both online and on ground. “To be silent when such a heinous crime is committed against a woman, will be no less than a crime. Women like us, who are educated and have a voice, must stand up for the vulnerable and the exploited. Most of the times we remain silent thinking our solitary voice will get drowned in the cacophony of trolls, but speak we must! Even if a few listen to what we have to say and amplify that voice, that’s enough. A small step toward the right direction is what I am aiming for,” she says.
Does she harbour any political ambition? “No, not at all,” she clears her stand. “Let’s say, as a mother of a growing girl, I am trying to bring a change in society so that my daughter feels safe.”
At the mention of her daughter’s name, Tara, the conversation veers to the territory of motherhood. And that brings us to her Insta reels on cooking. “I’m not very fond of cooking. My tryst with pots and pans started during the lockdown as there was no other alternative. Now, I cook for my daughter. I love to try out new dishes and surprise her. That’s my way of showing my love, I guess,” she says.
While her love for pots and pans is a now-off-now-on affair, her love for storytelling is only getting intense by the day. Her cinematic journey has certainly crossed a milestone as she just turned director for a movie, Saali Mohabbat.
“The story is the heart of film-making and I have always loved telling or backing a good story,” she says, referring to her earlier venture, a short film titled Chutney, which she wrote and produced.
How does it feel to wear the director’s hat for a film, a thriller no less! “I love thrillers… Pataal Lok, Kohhra, you name it. When I locked down on the script, I thought ‘mazze karte hain’. Having Manish Malhotra on board as the producer added to the fun factor.”
Has she taken inspiration from her favourite thrillers, or the latest web show Murder Mubarak, in which she played a prominent role?
“I am not going to say anything about the film. It’s for the audience to find out whether they see glimpses of other thrillers in it when they watch Saali Mohabbat. In fact, I would like them to tell me whether they see the story through a male gaze or a female gaze…” she leaves it at that, to keep the suspense building.
