Advantage Swara

Nonika Singh

Talented actor Swara Bhaskar and her character in forthcoming film Anarkali of Arrah might come from two diametrically opposite worlds. But one thing Swara and her raunchy avatar of Anarkali have in common is, both are unapologetic about who they are and ready to fight against injustice. So when the ever-voluble KRK passed a nasty comment against her film, Swara refused to take things lying down and retorted back.

On trolling that trails her willfully and vilefully on the social media, where her new video “It’s My Body” too has gone viral, she says, “Twitter has become the new virtual street where ruffians can hurl down nasty comments with the same spite and menace as they do on the streets.” 

And she would respond just the way as she would accost the eve-teaser on the street, firm and square unblinking and unafraid. Indeed, when she said yes to the video that celebrates woman’s right over her body, she had no idea that a virtual storm was in the waiting. She agrees that most Indian men fail to see the connect between woman’s sexuality and empowerment. But this, she feels, will change soon and women themselves will force the change. She belongs to and upholds the Candid Actors’ Club.

But whether that means days of politically correct actors, extremely conscious and cautious of what they say, are over, she isn’t sure. “As long as the society is hostile towards actors and makes them feel vulnerable, how can you expect they will have the courage to say what they want to.” She, of course, won’t be cowed down and shares how after getting into the skin of Anarkali of Arrah, she has become even more aggressive. 

Indeed does that mean the girl-next-door of Tanu Weds Manu and Raanjhana has come of age with Anarkali of Arrah? She is more than grateful that she has got an opportunity to play such diverse parts. From the unglamorous Chanda of Nil Battey Sannata to this erotic singer in Anarkali of Arrah, who croons double meaning songs, it’s a wide canvas indeed. As an actor, she sees both roles as a huge step up. 

What happens when she is appreciated but the film doesn’t set the cash registers ringing? “Well, even SRK can’t dictate boxoffice success, so why burn my heart over something which is beyond my control?” she says.

A change is evident in the star-driven Bollywood, she says, “Today story is the new star, performance is the new star.” 

 This actor of considerable mettle, who will soon be rubbing shoulders with Kareena Kapoor in Veere Di Wedding, feels like an outsider. She isn’t a part of any Bollywood clique or groups. She, however, feels that you can either use your gender to play a victim or empower yourself and others. She stands empowered and awfully busy too. Her calendar is so full that she can’t even plan her wedding with beau Himanshu Sharma, National Award-winning writer of films like Tanu Weds Manu Returns. A small price for stardom, actually none, merely a professional hazard for “Don’t we all have days with choc-o-block schedules?” she says.

But yes, filmdom does extract a price. “It takes away normalcy. You get so used to the camera, it’s like you crave and shun limelight all at once.” 

But be it on the acting turf or on Twitter, she is no quitter but a fighter ready to wrest the advantage and change the rules of the game.