"The Smile Spreader" – Shweta Tripathi
“The Vodafone ‘Made For You’ ad is refreshing! Does the girl in the ad reflect your real life personality?” “Yes. I think that’s the one thing people would say about me; I love being full of life and spread positivity.”
Actor Shweta Tripathi talks about her exciting journey through commercials, movies and making through life with a big smile!
Favourite ad: Vodafone ‘Made For You’ is one of my favourite ads because even when I was auditioning for it, I really enjoyed performing it. The ad had lines back to back. The last bit where I say ‘Usne toh meri …‘ I added a line. Rajiv Rao directed it. He had the character in mind. So when he saw my audition, he wanted to bring out my personality.
Favourite ad film director: Vivek Kakkad. I have worked with him on Kinley, Alpenliebe and Tanishq. He gives me so much freedom and works with me through it. We are in sync and he understands the characters and explains me background of the girl to play.
Roots: I have always loved acting and have been on stage since I was a kid. I was in eighth grade when I won the best actress award while in school but never acknowledged the fact that I could get into full time acting. My dad’s an eye doctor and mom’s a teacher. They are very culturally inclined and so encouraged me to take part in debates, elocutions and drama. It’s so important for personality development too I feel. I think you open up and you become more confident. Nothing makes me happier than acting.
Pet Peeves: I am a licenced diver. This year I plan to do my advance course. I am dying to do the night dive as I have heard stories from friends who have done it. It’s really fascinating and in my to-do list for this year.
The Journey: I am from Delhi. I moved to Bombay nine years ago and I love the city. I have been living alone for the last nine years and I cannot imagine living alone anywhere else. Only when you live here do you understand how helpful people are. They don’t invade your private space unlike Delhi and they respect you if you’re professional. I haven’t had any really bad experiences but everybody will say this about cricket and films; it’s easy to comment – ‘Arre kaisi film banaa di!‘ But what people don’t understand is that you might be sick, there could be a death in your family but the show must go on. If you’re an actor and if you’re in front of the camera you have to look your part and people will judge you. It’s a part and parcel of the business. I trust in my choices and so I am happy I have done only two films so far.
Special Highs: I love doing theatre and I love doing ads because of the punch lines that become the selling point of a product. I am choosy about my ads and do the ones that are performance driven. I believe that we are responsible for what we are selling and my stand is never to do a fairness cream ad. Our colour does not define our beauty, besides the product does not do anything to you. That’s why even if the money is great, if there is a little doubt in my head, I know I shouldn’t do it.
Kya Mast Hai Life was a time I wouldn’t want to go back to because I look forward to other things but because of Disney I got into acting full time. I love my co-actors and the entire team. We all became close friends. It was a lovely bond and even if we don’t talk to each other every week now, when we see each other it’s the same. Every Eid I go to Sana‘s place. I live alone and so these occasions are close to me.
Olden Golden Days: When I start laughing, I start vibrating. I was shooting for Kya Mast Hai Life and it was very late in the night. I started laughing and Sana could feel me vibrating and it’s infectious and not funny for 2am. I think the laugh was about someone’s hair constantly falling on his face and he was so tired. They eventually cut us out of the frame. When I worked at Femina, I wasn’t acting. I joined as an intern. I wrote and fashioned and photographed for them. Femina was my first family. It was a four month long internship. I wanted to act; that’s why I quit Femina. I wanted to take up acting full time. When I was working at Pixion, people with different day jobs would get together for the love of art. No one was making money at that point but everyone was there for each other. It was a team effort.
‘AllMyTea’ Productions: We (the theatre loving group) knew that we definitely wanted to entertain people but also wanted it to be a mirror of our society. We are not moral policing but only showing people what is happening and then people can take a call. Our play Cock is about a gay man. I think we strike a good balance between quality and being commercial. In our films I don’t think we should feel the need to compromise on quality just because it’s commercial cinema. We have quality commercial films such as a Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Chahta Hai. Just doing something commercial doesn’t make sense; it should be thought provoking. When I go back home after the play, it should be with me.
Films: Haramkhor has been selected at the London Indian Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart, Indian Film Festival Of Melbourne, Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival and Ottawa Indian Film Festival. Masaan released in France on June 24th.
It feels so special. I always wanted people around the world to see my work. There are lots of debutants in the movie and it’s exciting for all of us. It is very satisfying as an artist. Language should never be a barrier, it is being showed in Milan and I can’t imagine all this can even happen. It’s very humbling. People my age are getting married, having babies; for me when Masaan releases in India on July 24th, it will be all of those occasions combined!
Some popular ad videos of Shweta:
Vodafone India:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOJ641Kvgc]
Tanishq Inara:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAxswM5Sz7c]
Alpenliebe – Babur TV commercial:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA5Cu2UnQ-I]
Mirinda TVC:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx9XDzcmADw]
Pothys Boutique – Salwar Ad:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0EeYYgxQCM]
Shweta Tripathi (with Ashish Vidyarthi) for Kinley Water:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he4WdE28OUs]
Tata Tea Jaago Re Kaala Teeka – Power Of 49 (Director: Gauri Shinde):
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg2ZRosgD8g]
#Masaan, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, starring – Richa Chadda, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi & Sanjay Mishra:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVZzYa0MxM8]
You can follow Shweta Tripathi on Twitter @battatawada or on Facebook.