Medha Shankar: Exploring a world of acting opportunities
By MOHNISH SINGHSep 01, 2021
EXCITING NEWCOMER DISCUSSES HER PROJECTS SO FAR AND AMBITIOUS PLANS
TALENTED actress Medha Shankar is grateful for all the opportunities that have come her way.
The former model began her acting career with British historical drama television series Beecham House and was most recently seen in Bollywood film Shaadisthan. The film, which also features Kirti Kulhari, premiered directly on streaming media platform Disney+ Hotstar and received a good response.
Eastern Eye caught up with rising star Medha who is set to shine brighter, to talk about acting, her experience of working with Gurinder Chadha, the exciting opportunities for outsiders and how she spent her first paycheque.
You did your graduation from Delhi University and masters from NIFT (National School of Fashion Technology). How did your showbiz journey begin?
After my graduation, I got to audition for a short film and landed the part. I had no knowledge of acting and had never done it before. But when I landed that part, I loved working on that short film. It never released but made me realise I was not bad at it and really like doing it. It’s so fulfilling and such a beautiful experience. So, I decided to give it a try. I didn’t want to live with the regret that I didn’t try. I thought I would rather do it and see than not trying at all.
Did you face any resistance from your family?
I come from a very academically-inclined family, so my father got a huge shock when he came to know I wanted to pursue acting. He was like, ‘What’s wrong with you? You are good at so many other things, why don’t you try them?’ But I handled it very well. I said to him, ‘Papa, please let me do it. Give me some time’. Eventually, I had to complete my masters regardless. While I was pursuing my masters, I started doing modelling in Delhi. I also participated in the Miss India contest.
When did you land in Mumbai?
Once my masters got over, I moved to Mumbai in 2017. I joined a modelling agency and started auditioning. Within three months, I landed Beecham House, which was indeed a big thing because I had just started auditioning and got this huge project with Gurinder Chadha.
Medha Shankar in Beecham House
How was it to work with an internationally acclaimed filmmaker like Gurinder Chadha?
It was very overwhelming. First, I was very new and very naïve when I got that project. It was such a big project and everything was so organised. It had popular Indian actors such as Lara Dutta, Roshan Seth and Tisca Chopra and several other international actors there on the cast. And then there was Gurinder ma’am as the captain of the ship. I experienced a very different kind of learning as an actor, as to how focused and professional people can be. I was like, ‘oh, these people take their job so seriously, they are thorough professionals. They are always on time’. I tried to inculcate all of that in myself. I was like, ‘Okay, this is the kind of person I want to be. I want to reach this level of professionalism. Always be on time and learn my lines well’. It was great working with everyone. Gurinder ma’am brings an infectious energy to sets. It’s fun on sets with her. We two also had a lot a fun together.
What did you like about acting?
I never wanted to become an actor for the glamour or fame. I became an actor because I truly fell in love with the craft. After that my only goal was to achieve that level where I am a working actor, get decently paid for it and make a name for myself. You received a positive response for your performance in the recently released film Shaadisthan.
How did you get that film?
A few months after Beecham House, I got Shaadisthan through auditions. Shaadisthan was another level of experience altogether. Working on a feature film is very different. It was very commercial, a proper Hindi feature film. My character was also challenging.
Did you feel disappointed that your film Shaadisthan did not get a theatrical release and had its premiere on a streaming platform?
Not at all! All lines have blurred between what’s a theatrical release and what’s an OTT release. All theatrical releases are now releasing on streaming media platforms. And thanks to such platforms, they are not only getting a wider release but also gaining more traction and eyeballs. The lines have blurred so much that it does not really matter. As long as your film is getting the kind of audience it deserves, you are good to go. Our film released on a platform like Disney+ Hotstar. I don’t think it could have been better than this. It got such an amazing response. It was received so well. The numbers were really high.
How did you spend your first paycheque from an acting assignment?
I gave it to my dad. I put it in an envelope and went to him and said, ‘Dad, this is for you, for supporting me the way you have’. It was an emotional moment for me. Since I started my career as a model, my first paycheque came through modelling. That cheque also I gave to my parents. I did nothing fancy with it. I did not buy anything.
Do you feel it’s difficult for outsiders to make a mark in the industry?
I think that with the onset of streaming media platforms, there are so many opportunities for everyone. So much work is happening. So many web-shows are being announced every single day. So many new platforms are sprouting up. So, there is a lot of work for a lot of people. These streamers are ready to give a platform to young actors, new directors and writers. I feel it’s really a good time for new actors and people from the outside to try and make their mark. Maybe five years ago there were not many opportunities, but now they are there. I cannot complain because I have really gotten such good projects. So, yes, it is difficult but then nothing comes easy. A 9-5 job is not easy either. It’s a very cut-throat competitive world but if you leave no stone unturned, keep your head high, keep working on yourself and not lose focus, there is no way you won’t get work.
Tell us about your upcoming projects...
I am currently working on a project wherein I play a really interesting character. However, I cannot talk much about it at the moment.
ACTOR Raj Ghatak praised the enduring appeal of The Producers as he takes on a role in the hit Broadway show, now playing in the West End.
Ghatak is the first person of colour to portray Carmen Ghia, the flamboyant partner of eccentric director Roger DeBris (Trevor Ashley) and, consequently, his character is dressed in the south Asian attire of sherwani (tunic) and kurta pyjama.
In an interview with Eastern Eye, he said, “The world was arguably a happier place when it was first written.
“But what we’re finding now is that audiences are so grateful to laugh. They sit down, immerse themselves in the story, and forget everything else. That’s the power of theatre.”
Describing the show as a kind of “therapy” for modern times, Ghatak said, “Audiences tell us how welcome it is to laugh so hard again”.
It is the first major London revival of American filmmaker and actor Mel Brooks’ classic, which earned an unprecedented 12 Tony Awards, and has transferred from a sold-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory to the Garrick Theatre.
Based on Brooks’ 1967 cult film, the story follows two desperate Broadway producers who scheme to get rich by producing a flop, only for their plan to go hilariously wrong.
Trevor Ashley as Roger DeBris and Ghatak as Carmen Ghia in The Producers
Teeming with Brooks’ signature wit, the show delights in its irreverence, sending up everything from show business to politics. Ghatak said, “It’s massively exciting to be part of it. And this time around, they’ve leaned in to my ethnicity. I wear a kurta pajama and a sherwani – things that have obviously never been done before. It gives us visibility.”
Two decades ago, Ghatak starred in Bombay Dreams, AR Rahman’s West End musical produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, that became a cultural turning point for British Asian performers.
Ghatak recalled how the show “broke the glass ceiling for south Asian actors”.
He said, “At the time, it was just a job – a very high-profile one. But, years later, people tell me they were taken to see that show as children, and because of it, they felt they had permission to be an actor. That’s something that was never the case in my day.”
That generational shift is something Ghatak takes pride in. “When I look back, it feels like we’ve come a long way. But we still have a long way to go.”
Being part of The Producers brought Ghatak face to face with one of his heroes. Brooks himself, now 99, had to approve his casting.
The actor said, “They filmed my meeting. I met the team on a Friday afternoon, and on Monday morning they said, ‘Pending Mel Brooks’ approval, we’d like to offer you the role.’ I remember thinking, if I don’t get his approval, does this mean I can’t do the job?”
The cast had four weeks of full-time rehearsals. “For that production, I watched both films,” Ghatak said, referring to the 1967 original and the 2005 version with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.
“I wanted to understand the source material. I’m a firm believer that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Otherwise, you’re changing something for the sake of it. But rehearsals are where you experiment and play.” He credited both Brooks’ writing and Patrick Marber’s direction for the show’s humour.
“Our director comes from a background of plays. My own background is in plays, TV and film. So, we both approached this with the idea that, however heightened the situation or character, it must be grounded in truth,” he said.
Ghatak trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Queen Mary University in London and has worked with Emma Thompson, Nicole Kidman, Riz Ahmed, Sir Derek Jacobi, Ewan M c G r e - g o r, Hugh Jackman and Benedict Cumberbatch. His stage credits include The Kite Runner, Life of Pi, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and The Father and the Assassin. He has worked with some of the most respected directors in theatre, including Dominic Cooke, Indhu Rubasingham, Rufus Norris, Kerry Michael and now Marber.
Despite his achievements, the actor is conscious of the ongoing struggles for representation. He said, “As much as the situation has improved, we’ve still got a long way to go. Roles that challenge me, excite me. There are so many stories from the Asian subcontinent and diaspora that deserve to be told.
“When I started, there were very few people I could look to as role models. That’s why I’ve become such a champion for diversity and inclusion.”
Born and raised in north London to Bengali parents from Kolkata, he grew up surrounded by music and culture.
“My father was a doctor, and my mother was a chemistry teacher,” Ghatak said, adding, “But there was always music at home. My father sings Rabindra Sangeet, my mother plays guitar, and my sister is a classical singer.” Initially, he didn’t see acting as a viable career. “I went to a very academic school.
My interests were split between medical sciences and the performing arts.”
Eventually, he followed his childhood passion and trained as an actor.
He said, “A show like The Producers challenges me in a different way - it makes me laugh and it makes me think. That’s what keeps me passionate about the work.”
Asked what continues to excite him about musical theatre, Ghatak said, “Being in this show and telling this story. The comedy, the chaos, the craft… it’s such a joy. And to be the only person of colour among the six principal cast members, representing our community on such a stage, that’s something I’m proud of.”
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