Talent Has A Fragrance That Spreads: Tisca Chopra
Actress Tisca Chopra in an exclusive conversation with BW Buisnessworld on the world of Indian cinema and more
Tell us how the Indian film industry has changed in the last five years.
Change was on its way for several years, it just got accelerated by the lockdowns. The viewing patterns of the audiences changed suddenly, they had to watch what was available to them. This was content from across the globe -- K dramas, Spanish novellas on TV and, of course, Indian web series. At first, it might have been because there wasn’t a choice, but soon they got used to watching content with subtitles and developed a taste for international content. The sheer variety and beauty of content from across the globe made the viewing experience so rich.
At the end of the day, people do crave their own kind, telling their own stories in their own language, so the changed Indian palette now desires world-class stories but with their own actors. That’s the fantastic change we can see -- the audience ka dil maange more, much more!
How do you think the industry should meet the demands of audiences that are exposed to global entertainment?
We just need to make better stories, pay more attention to the script. It is essential to make the script the star, not shape scripts for stars. The audience cares about stories and they are saying that loud and clear.
The OTT space is booming. Is that the future of entertainment?
I am not in any position to speak about the future really, but an educated guess would be that content on OTT will be a huge part of entertainment going forward. And the films that will pull audiences into the theatre are going to be ones that offer visual extravaganzas or something that is very new.
What advice would you give young women looking to enter Bollywood?
They could read my book, Acting Smart: Your Ticket To Showbiz. On a serious note, they must hone their craft, and start wherever they get a break and slowly work their way into better roles. Craft is everything, talent has a fragrance that spreads and stays.
Your favourite actor and why…
There are favourite performances, not favourite actors. The two that I am obsessing about at the moment are Austin Butler (who played Elvis Priestly, in Elvis), and Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde.
In India, I have enjoyed most of Irrfan Khan’s work and a lot of Rajkumar Rao’s work. Amongst the women, I can never get enough of Sridevi’s acting. I love the energy, and the joy she brought to screen.
Your all-time favourite movie and why…
How can I answer this? So many films and such a short life… but here are a few: As Good As It Gets, Elvis, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron and Godfather part 1 and part 2.
