Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Tisca Chopra and the art of making a short film

Tisca Chopra and the art of making a short film

AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS DISCUSSES HER NEW JOURNEY AS A DIRECTOR

by MOHNISH SINGH


PROLIFIC actress Tisca Chopra has shown off her versatility in films and on television with interesting roles that have left a permanent mark, including a winning turn in Taare Zameen Par (2007), which was put forward by India for the Oscars.

She recently added more feathers to her cap by producing, directing and starring in acclaimed short film Rubaru, where she portrays an actress trying to deal with her middle-age and various professional insecurities.

Eastern Eye caught up with award-winning star Tisca Chopra to talk about the various creative hats she wears, beginning a new filmmaking journey with Rubaru, her silver screen idol, big turning point and future plans that includes directing a full-length feature film.

You added another feather to your creative cap by directing short film Rubaru. Were you wary about beginning this new journey?

No, I don’t think I was at all trepidatious about this new journey because I had already produced two short films, Chutney (2016) and Chhuri (2017) before. And, of course, I have been a part of so many films from the inception. So, no, it was not causing me any trepidation. There was, in fact, much excitement and a lot of work to do. But I had a wonderful team that made it so much easier for me to write, direct and act in Rubaru.

How challenging is it to tell a complex story within a short film format?

When you have 15 or 20 minutes to narrate a story, you have to make sure that you hit the ground running. Every single word, sentence, shot and frame matters a great deal, and everyone has to work extremely hard. Each line has to mean two or three things. For that reason, I think it’s a work of great craft if you are planning to make a decent short film. You don’t have time to expand and explore characters or show back stories.

How do you get around that?

You have to think of clever ways to bring the past into the present. The way I would best describe it is that it’s a tiny piece of jewellery with a lot of small minakari work. It requires lots of exquisite, small work because you don’t have a large canvas in terms of time. That’s where the trick of a short film lies.

Did you write the protagonist’s role keeping yourself in mind?

Yes, the protagonist Radha Malhotra’s character was always going to be played by me. There was somewhere an idea of creating a production house for such films, to be able to back stories I believe in. It’s not mandatory that I would act in every film, but at least starting out the idea would be to get those stories made and play those parts, which otherwise probably are not coming to me, or being written. So, yes, I was always going to be playing Radha Malhotra. Additionally, there were certain things I felt I could bring really well to the table in terms of theatre.

Tell us more about that?

I have done about 10 years of theatre and an intense number of plays. So, I know how anxiety-producing that moment is when the audience fills into the theatre finally and how that becomes a point of no return for an actor. Before that you can always say that I am not well, I cannot do the play today. But once the audience comes into the hall, there is no getting away from it. No matter how scared, under-confident or fearful you are, you will still have to go and give your best.

How was the experience of working with the other cast members in Rubaru?

The cast of Rubaru was fantastic. Of course, you know Arjun Mathur from Made In Heaven (2019), who was nominated for the International Emmy Awards for his work on the Amazon Prime show. I have known him for many years from afilm I did with him called Ankur Arora Murder Case (2013), where he was fantastic. Chitrashi is such a wonderful energy and such a fine human being, actor, and collaborator. All the other cast members brought their best to the table. They stayed long hours and worked very hard, despite not having the biggest parts. I am extremely grateful to each and every one who supported me in my very first film as a director.

How surprised are you with the positive response your short film has garnered? 

I am very pleasantly surprised with the kind of response that Rubaru has got. It’s a time where people are consuming a vast amount of content. They are watching all sorts of things. Sadly, they cannot go and see movies and  as a consequence, things online are doing really well. In that sense, Rubaru getting more than a million views and two awards in the very first two weeks of release was thrilling.

Would you want to explore directing further and can we expect a full-length film from you?

Oh, yes, I am very excited about my role as a director. I think it’s very satisfactory to be able to tell a story well and meticulously in a way you want to. As an actor, you are one part of someone else’s vision and that’s wonderful too. But to have control over how the narrative is being shaped and to be able to bring the best out of your entire crew is something else. It is wonderful to be able to work with people and bring everyone to the same vision that you have in your head. I am most definitely going to direct a feature film, sometime in August 2021. That’s the plan.

Do you remember when you decided that you wanted to be an actress?

I don’t think it was any single performance that made me decide I wanted to be an actress. I think there were many things from school and college. I have always been involved in participating in plays during college. So, it was a forgone conclusion that I would be acting in some capacity.

What connected you to films?

What attracted me to Hindi movies was when I saw Sridevi in Chandni (1989). I just couldn’t get over her performance for many, many days. I was still in school then. I saw her and felt that it was magic. If you can affect people this way, my God, you have power! And so much power over other people’s imagination! I continue to be a die-hard fan of Sridevi. It was one of the saddest days for me when she passed away. I continue to miss her, but the good thing with an artist is that you can always play an old movie and enjoy a performance all over again. So, I guess, you can say that she is one of my biggest inspirations. You starred in ground-breaking film Taare Zameen Par, which recently clocked 13 years since its theatrical release.

How important was that film in your life and career?

Taare Zameen Par was a game-changing film for me. Not just did it change the topography of my career, but also got me recognition, nationally and internationally. People all over loved the film. But what I am proudest of is that it was not just any film or just a box office blockbuster, but a film that gave a lot back to society. It changed the way people looked at their children, and our education system became more inclusive. I will forever be grateful to the universe for giving me the opportunity to be a part of such a significant film. People started taking me very, very seriously as an actor after Taare Zameen Par. It was a very crucial film. I am very grateful to Aamir (Khan) and the entire team of Aamir Khan Productions for letting me be a part of such a groundbreaking movie.

More For You

Jasbinder Bilan

Jasbinder Bilan

Jasbinder Bilan’s journey of heart and heritage: From Himalayan tales to global acclaim

When Jasbinder Bilan first paused her teaching career to pursue a creative writing degree, she had no idea it would lead to a life-changing breakthrough. What began as a leap of faith became a journey filled with hope, rejection and ultimately triumph. Inspired by her beloved grandmother and her Indian roots, Bilan poured her soul into her debut manuscript Song of the Mountain. Though the publishing world was not immediately ready for her story, perseverance paid off when she won the 2016 Times Chicken House Prize, launching her celebrated writing career. Now, following the success of her Costa Award-winning Asha and the Spirit Bird, Bilan returns with a powerful new historical adventure, Naeli and the Secret Song. In this exclusive interview, she speaks about the emotional inspiration behind the book, her love for young readers and the importance of believing in your voice — no matter how long it takes to be heard.

What first connected you to writing?
It was stories more than writing that were my first love. My grandmother, Majee, was the storyteller in our house and it was those bonding moments that sparked my love for creating my own stories. She told me lots of Indian folk tales at bedtime, but she also shared stories of our life in India on the farm near the foothills of the Himalaya. So, I grew up feeling connected to a place that I then filled with my imagination. As a little girl I loved drawing and writing, and always wanted to be a writer, but it took me a long time to make that dream come true.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rachel Zegler’s ‘Evita’ Performance Sparks Broadway Buzz

Rachel Zegler stuns in Jamie Lloyd’s Evita as Palladium crowds grow nightly

Instagram/officialevita

Rachel Zegler shines in Jamie Lloyd’s ‘Evita’ as West End hit eyes Broadway transfer

Quick highlights:

 
     
  • Rachel Zegler plays Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s radical Evita revival at the London Palladium.
  •  
  • A viral moment features Zegler singing live from the theatre’s balcony to crowds on the street.
  •  
  • Lloyd’s stripped-down staging amps up visuals and sound but sacrifices storytelling depth.
  •  
  • Talks are on for a Broadway transfer as early as 2026 with Zegler confirmed to reprise her role.
  •  
 

Rachel Zegler commands the London stage as Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s daring reimagining of Evita, a production that trades subtlety for spectacle and could soon be heading to Broadway.

Following the success of Sunset Boulevard, Lloyd’s signature stripped-down style meets rock concert intensity in this revived version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical. Zegler, in only her second major stage role, dazzles with commanding vocals and presence, even as critics debate the show’s dramatic clarity.

Keep ReadingShow less
K Anis Ahmed

K Anis Ahmed’s new novel Carnivore is as imaginative as it is provocative

AMG

K Anis Ahmed’s 'Carnivore' serves up satire, class war and moral rot

From the blood-soaked backstreets of Dhaka to the polished kitchens of Manhattan’s elite, K Anis Ahmed’s new novel Carnivore is as imaginative as it is provocative. A satirical thriller steeped in class tension, culinary obsession and primal survival, Carnivore follows Kash, a Bangladeshi immigrant-turned-chef who launches a high-end restaurant serving exotic meats – only to become embroiled in a sinister world of appetite and ambition.

But this is no simple tale of knives and recipes. Ahmed – a seasoned journalist, publisher, and president of PEN Bangladesh – brings a sharp eye to the grotesqueries of power and privilege. In this exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, he speaks about his passion for food, the moral murkiness of his characters, and why even the most ordinary people can spiral into extraordinary darkness.

Keep ReadingShow less
Artists respond to a world shaped
by division at Summer Exhibition

Visitors view works in the main gallery

Artists respond to a world shaped by division at Summer Exhibition

THE theme of the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition 2025 is “dialogues”, prompting the question: can art help bring together the people of India and Pakistan? Or, indeed, Israel and Iran – or Israel and Palestine?

It so happens that the coordinator of this year’s Summer Exhibition is the internationally celebrated artist and Royal Academician Farshid Moussavi, who is of Iranian origin.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kanpur 1857 play

This summer, Niall Moorjani returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with 'Kanpur: 1857'

Pleasance

Niall Moorjani brings colonial history to life with powerful new play 'Kanpur: 1857'

This summer, Niall Moorjani returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Kanpur: 1857, an explosive new play that fuses biting satire, history and heartfelt storytelling. Written, co-directed and performed by Moorjani, alongside fellow actor and collaborator Jonathan Oldfield, the show dives into the bloody uprising against British colonial rule in 1857 India, focusing on the brutal events in Kanpur.

At its centre is an Indian rebel, played by Moorjani, strapped to a cannon and forced to recount a version of events under the watchful eye of a British officer.

Keep ReadingShow less