'Acting Is A Lie That Tells The Truth'
Tisca Chopra’s vibrant personality and her burning passion to excel is evident in the unusual choices she has made in her life and work. She is known for her clutter breaking roles and has chosen to be part of stories that she believes need telling. She has acted in over 45 feature films in different languages with many eminent directors like Aamir Khan, Prakash Jha, Madhur Bhandarkar, Abhinay Deo, Sharat Katariya, Anup Singh and others.
Taare Zameen Par, her best known feature film, was India’s official entry to the Academy Awards. It also won her Filmfare and other top nominations. Another feature film, Qissa, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2013, and won the prestigious NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film. The film has traveled to over 20 festivals, winning over almost all top awards and much appreciation from audiences and critics.
Tisca did her Bachelors in Literature from University of Delhi and worked with extensively in theatre with Naseeruddin Shah & Feroz Khan. Her performance in the Pulitzer Award winning play, ‘Dinner With Friends’, that deals with the state of the modern marriage, was a runaway hit in India, South East Asia & the Middle East, garnering praise from both, critics and audiences.
A practicing Buddhist, she consistently works on issues especially those of gender equality, the girl child and the environment. She has worked with Sam Pitroda on the National Knowledge Commission, to help with revamping the education system and rote learning.
Her book Acting Smart (Harper Collins), is a best seller and is being translated into Hindi.
Tisca has been nominated at the New York Indian Film Festival for Best Actress for her work in ‘10Ml Love’, a film based on A Mid Summer Night’s Dream. Her intense performance in the Indian adaptation of the American series ’24’, was much lauded and made her a household name. The series won Best Ensemble Cast.
She’s been on the Jury of the prestigious MAMI( Mumbai Academy Of Moving Images) film festival.
Her first film as a producer & writer “Chutney” has won the Filmfare 2017 award for the Best Short Film of 2016 along with Audience Choice Awards at SAIFF (South Asian International Film Festival). Tisca also won the Best Actor (Female) for the short film “Chutney”. Chutney, short film is the highest viewed short film in the world with over 120 Million plus views. Her next short film “Chhuri” under her banner starring her, Anurag Kashyap & Surveen Chawla was a huge hit at MAMI 2017 and is performing amazingly well in the web space with over four million views online. She is now working on a feature film script under her company “The Eastern Way”.
In an interview with BW Businessworld, Chopra talks about her profession, motivation and more
If not in the current Profession , You would be ?
A writer or a journalist, with a garage shop to design products. Writing is a compulsion as is seeking the truth. Acting helps fulfill both, since acting is a lie that tells the truth.
One tune you always hum?
Someone like you by Adele
One Book to read when you want to motivate yourselves ?
The War of Art (not The Art of War). It talks about how one has to overcome enormous inner resistance to create art of any kind- painting, music, writing or acting.
One Dialogue of a movie that motivates you or you like the most?
‘Do or do not. There is not try’- Master Yoda (Star Wars)
The Place you never been to and always want to go?
The Dead Sea. I want to lie in it. I’m not sure why, I just want to.
An animal that signifies you & why?
A phoenix- giving up is not my thing. I rise again and again from the last thing and go again with full force into the next.
A Movie Character you most resemble or resonate with ?
Tim Robbins in Shawshank Redemption. He just went on and on and on till he succeeded.
Choose one from each below :
a) Marvel or DC - Marvel
b) Batman or Superman - Supergirl
c) Tom or Jerry- Tom’s aggression, Jerry’s inventiveness.
d) Chacha Chaudhary or Super Commando Dhruv - Asterix
If your life was to be turned into a movie who would you like to play your part ?
What a question to ask an actor?? Me, of course!
Luck or Hard Work , What do you think weighs more in defining a successful Person?
Smart hard work. With a touch of a favorable wind.
One best decision you ever made?
To produce content ourselves. Chutney, a short film we wrote and produced it the world’s most watched short with 120 million views.
A strategy that you always use to take your decisions in Personal or Professional life?
Lets try it! At worst it won’t work. But mostly it does.
Whose advise you seek when in dilemma?
I have different people for different issues. I tend to Buddhist philosophy for spiritual inspiration and my Dad for life issues, my husband for people related advice and my team for professional issues.
What has been your biggest achievement?
Being a mother (of a five year old) while running my production company and continuing with my acting work, not letting any of my jobs suffer.
One thing that you want to change in yourself?
I need to have more patience. And find more energy.
A line said by your closed one that you never forget?
You’ve got a ‘No’ in your pocket, now go find a ‘Yes’ my mother always says.
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