Critics’ Choice Award Winner: Tillotama Shom

Received Best Actress Critics Choice Award for ‘Sir’: Tillotama Shom said- People thought I cannot become a mainstream cinema actress

Actress Tilottama Shom is known for her different roles. Recently, she was seen in the role of Bindi Jain in the series ‘Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper’ released on Netflix. Recently, while talking to Dainik Bhaskar, Tilottama told that people had this notion about her that she cannot become a mainstream cinema actress. But after 40, she proved that age does not matter by winning the Best Actress Critics Choice Award for the film ‘Sir’. During the question-answer session, the actress revealed some more stories related to her career.

Question- Why is an artist confined to an age limit?

Answer- It is people’s own thinking that makes such assumptions. It was often said about me that I cannot become a mainstream cinema actress. People think that if you don’t get a break at the age of 20, it is difficult to get a break at the age of 30. Forget about getting a break at the age of 40. This pressure was always there. But I got the most work at the age of 40.

Question- By the way, you got your first opportunity in ‘Monsoon Wedding’?

Answer- I got ‘Monsoon Wedding’ suddenly at the age of 20. But I had to complete my studies. At that time I was told that the life of an actor is very short. If you do not focus on acting from now on, you will not be able to become a heroine. But I listened to my heart. I thought of moving forward on the plan I had made for my career. I completed my studies and completed a course in drama therapy.

Question- When did you return after ‘Monsoon Wedding’?

Answer- I returned to the industry after eight years of Monsoon Wedding. I did not understand where and how to start. At that time people were giving different kinds of suggestions. Someone would say get your teeth straightened. People were also making comments about my age group. I did not deal with my life by reading someone else’s story. At that time, even though there was less work, it had its own fun. There was time for friends and family. I gave them full time.

Question- What did you do to break the perception people had about you?

Answer- People feel comfortable in expressing their opinion about someone. But it depends on you how to break out of it. I had understood that there is no shortcut to success here. Time had made me understand this. I chose the path in which I felt comfortable.

Question- What was the most difficult thing for you when you came into the industry?

Answer- We chose this industry knowing that it is very difficult here. In three years, the phone did not ring even once for work. It seemed that time was slipping away. At that time, books were my friends. My parents were very emotional support. I never did anything wrong for money.

Question- How do you view success and failure?

Answer- I am getting more work now than before, but I still have to struggle. I never felt like I am a failure. I was successful then and I am successful now too. For me, success means fulfilling my dreams. I am not financially dependent on anyone. My needs are very few. That is why even when I was getting less work earlier, I did not face much difficulty. Before coming to Mumbai, I had saved so much that I could manage my expenses for a year. We are complete experts in how to live on less money. I did not have to borrow money from anyone.

Question- Tell me, how did you get inclined towards acting?

Answer- I was not good at studies at all. But I was very hardworking. I was studying in Lady Shriram College in Delhi. One day Piyush Mishra came to perform a play. After watching that play, I wondered who this person is. I was so impressed that from there I also got inclined towards plays. I started doing plays in college. The benefit of this was that my stammering went away. After that I joined Arvind Gaur’s Asmita Theatre Group. Then I went to New York University to do Masters in Drama Therapy.

Question- There you taught drama therapy to murder convicts in the jail, tell us something about that?

Answer- After doing drama therapy from New York University, I worked in Riker Island jail for two years. It is a high security jail for men and women. I used to go there to teach twice a week. By working with students and prisoners there, I understood the complexity of crime and its punishment. There I got a lot of help in acting. I never thought that I would come back to acting. But from there I came to Mumbai in 2008.

Question- After coming to Mumbai, you did many films, but ‘Sir’ has been the turning point of your career, how did you get a chance in it?

Answer- The husband of the film’s director Rohena Gera used to make Prestige. My husband had started a coffee company. Both of them had a stall in a market. Rohena had come there to help her husband. I had also gone to help Kunal. Rohena had seen my film ‘Monsoon Wedding’. She told me about ‘Sir’. After two years, when Konkona was doing the film ‘A Death in the Gunj’, Rohena sent the script of the film. That was a very exciting moment for me.

Question- You got the Filmfare Award for Best Actress Critics Choice for this film, then did you feel that after so many years you have finally got the reward for your hard work?

Answer- The biggest thing for me was that after so many years I got good work by working hard. After this film I started getting good work. I got work in ‘Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper’ without audition. Director Puneet Krishna had seen the film and he was confident that I would be able to play the role of Bindi Jain.

Question- Before this, you had given a wonderful performance with Irrfan Khan in ‘Kissa’. You have done films like ‘Hindi Medium’ with him. How was the experience of working with him?

Answer- Even after ‘Kissa’, I had to wait for a long time for good work. I do not regret this, because I have learnt a lot from that film. Irrfan bhai used to say that focus on your work. What others think does not matter. Even today I follow that advice of his.

Question- How did your love story with Kunal Ross begin?

Answer- We met for the first time at my cousin’s house for lunch through a common friend. He had come from Dubai. I liked him at first sight, but I didn’t think anything like that at that time. He went to Dubai and sent me an email from there, I replied. We kept talking over email for months. We tried to understand each other and got married in 2015.