Came to OTT as I got to play characters I had never thought of: Shweta Tripathi Sharma

New Delhi, October 21

The digital platform made it possible for her to play characters that are not merely "cardboard cutouts", says actor Shweta Tripathi Sharma who is gearing up for the second season of the web series "Mirzapur".

Shweta will return as Gajgamini "Golu" Gupta, who has undergone a transformation from an educated idealist to a woman seeking revenge in the upcoming chapter of the Amazon Prime Video show.

The actor praised the show's team—directors Karan Anshuman, Gurmmeet Singh and Mihir Desai and scribes Puneet and Vineet Krishna—for creating well-rounded characters in the crime drama.

"It's very important to adapt. I came to OTT because I got to play characters I had never thought of. You always think, we'll do strong characters, we will not be cardboard cutouts, we'll add layers and colours to the character. But you also need support from your cast and crew. You cannot fight this battle alone," she told PTI in an interview.

Taking up "Mirzapur" as a project was "the best bet" she played in her life, Shweta said.

"I did season one for season two. I knew where my character graph could go. So it was a bet I played and it was the best bet I've played in my life. I was very aware of Golu. In season one, I knew what she is, what she will be doing. I knew whatever juiciness and fun I could have with the character, I'll get that in season two." The 35-year-old actor, also known for films like "Masaan", "Haraamkhor" and "Cargo", said it takes time to get into the skin of a character, even if it is a reprisal.

"To understand your character, you have to understand the characters around them. How they talk to you, what they think about you. That makes a lot of difference," she added.

Now that Golu has transformed in the bloodied aftermath of season one climax, the goals of her character have also changed.

"Golu has lost her smile and her books. If I'd meet her, I would like to give her a big hug. She has become the kind of person she could have never imagined to be. Someone she wouldn't have approved of.

"There's no right or wrong anymore. Interestingly, the way season one ended defined the Golu of season two. When priorities in life change, your personal agendas and dreams take a backseat."  Shweta said, to prepare for her new arc in the season, she read Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", an ancient Chinese military treatise which is an insight into human behaviour.

"She now sits a bit 'chauda' (feet wide apart) as she is this woman in a world full of men. Yes, you have a gun, but what else can you do? Everyone has a gun in Mirzapur. But how can you use your mind? To understand psychological warfare, I read a book called 'The Art of War'," she added.

The second season will see the game of guns and power expand from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh to Bihar, with the entry of new faces and old characters gearing up for revenge.

The season one ending of the show, which enjoys massive fandom and popularity in meme-culture, has been compared with the notorious 'Red Wedding' episode of the HBO epic series "Game of Thrones" (GOT).

Shweta said, as a "GOT" fan, comparisons are welcome, but one shouldn't take them too seriously.

"When you are compared to good things, it definitely feels good. When 'Mirzapur' came, a lot of people compared it to 'Gangs of Wasseypur' and 'Sacred Games'. Comparisons always happen. We shouldn't take them seriously in either a good or bad way. Emotions towards stories remain the same, be it Bihar or Boston. What's common is human emotions."

Produced by Excel Entertainment, "Mirzapur" also features Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Rasika Dugal, Divyenndu, Sheeba Chaddha, Rajesh Tailang, Harshita Gaur, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Lilliput, Vijay Varma, Meghna Malik, among others.

The second season starts streaming on Friday. PTI

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