Actress Shruti Seth recently starred in the web series, 36 Days. In a candid chat with the Free Press Journal, the actress reflected on her journey in showbiz, being typecast by filmmakers, and more. Excerpts:
Why did you decide to be a part of 36 Days?
What got me interested is the genre of 36 Days. It's a thriller and it was fascinating to see this world that had four different families going through their own issues and then there's the arrival of this new person in the community, and how things pan out after she comes. All of this got me really interested. Plus, I was getting to work with a longtime associate of mine, Purab Kohli, and that was a bonus.
How do you describe your journey in showbiz?
I've been acting for over 20 years and I've had a wonderful journey. All the shows I've been a part of have been hugely successful, and of course, my initial career catered largely to children and youngsters, who were always very loyal audience. I am very fortunate that people still remember me for the work I've done long back. My journey has been extremely satisfying. Of course, as any other actor, I too believe that you're always looking for newer ways to grow, expand and hone your craft. I want to constantly keep pursuing new and different kind of work. I want to try new genres and work with newer directors and actors. There's so much more left to explore.
What are the challenges that you've faced during this journey?
One tends to get stereotyped when you're in this industry. People see you like a particular character and keep offering you similar roles. Obviously, as an actor you want to keep on working, and if nothing else is offered other than those same kind of roles, then you are compelled to take those up, which eventually leads to a certain level of fatigue and burnout. So this thing about getting typecast is something many actors have encountered, including me. I wish creators would be a little more imaginative and go against the regular grind of casting people. Instead of typecasting, they should actually do some anti-casting, where you put an actor in a role that you would never imagine they'll be able to pull off. I hope people start seeing me in roles that I don't fit naturally in and give me a chance to learn a little more about my craft, so that I can try and be something I am not on screen. That's the joy -- to be someone you're not in real life and convince people.
What do you want to change about this industry?
Pay parity is something that every single woman will always talk about. Women must get paid as much as their male counterparts. Also, I feel working hours can definitely be relaxed. Sometimes, we can get pretty gruelling in the way we function in this industry. For a job that requires creativity and emotions, being exhausted does not help at all. The change would impact job satisfaction in a very positive way. I hope we can become more humane in how we expect people to work.
What kind of work do you want to take up going ahead?
As much as I love an ensemble cast, I won't lie, it felt nice to be the face of a show for once. I would definitely like to be the only face of a show again. I would love to be a part of an action series. I want to participate in anything that would be adrenaline-pumping and exciting.
