'That climax in the last episode of Season one, I have replayed it so many times that it is still fresh in my mind.'
'If you have a wound and if you keep picking on it, it will never heal.'
"My husband Cheeta used to make me laugh before I would sleep because he knew I would get nightmares. I used to get nightmares that I was in the Mirzapur family and there was an attack!" Shweta Tripathi Sharma tells Ronjita Kulkarni/Rediff.com, referring to her experience of shooting Mirzapur 2, the gangster drama now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
The young actress admits that the series did take a toll on her.
"As an actor, I'm very satisfied with the experience I have got. But would I want anybody to have Golu's life? NO!" she says emphatically.
Part 1 of a lively interview!
You have so many releases this year. Are you happy with the way your career is going?
I';m very happy!
Haramkhor was the first film I shot, but it released many years later. That's when I learnt that karm karo, fal ki icha mat karo.
Even Cargo released after two years.
But still, I would love to do independent cinema because if my being in a project can increase its value then I would want to do it.
I didn't expect much from my character in Raat Akeli Hai, but the love and appreciation I got was overwhelming.
Gone Game was shot entirely during the lockdown.
It was shot in my house and my husband was shooting me!
The director was in a Zoom call throughout.
From lighting, to makeup, hair, everything, we did at home. I had to have whiskey in my glass, so we put water and apple juice... we were the head of department for all departments. I had so much fun doing it.
The reviews were also good.
And now, the baap of them all, Mirzapur, is out.
I don't want to limit myself to any platform. Be it a short film or an ad or a voiceover, I always want to grow as an actor.
The more we venture out, the more we explore, the more we will grow as actors.
In Mirzapur, you are in full on action mode. How did you prepare for it?
There was a lot of training.
I knew I would be picking up the gun, so I wanted my body language to be different.
I started training at home.
I learnt how to load a gun, unload, how to fire.
It's too loud! And not a fun process.
I would want to stay away from guns and violence. I would want everyone to stay away from that.
If there's any takeaway from Mirzapur is that if you choose the path of violence and guns, you will not be happy.
I don't know who is happy in Mirzapur.
Yes, there is a lot of drama and entertainment when you are watching it, but if you are part of that world, there is a lot of heartbreak.
The first season did so well. Are you nervous about the expectations that the sequel carries?
I am very excited.
As an actor, we have given it our all.
Our exams are over, it's time for our report cards now.
Was Mirzapur disturbing for you?
It does take a toll.
As an actor, I am very satisfied with the experience I have got.
But would I want anybody to have Golu's life? NO!
There is just so much of pain.
There is this headstrong girl who is challenging her own beliefs because two people whom she loved the most were brutally taken away from her.
That climax in the last episode of Season one, I have replayed it so many times that it is still fresh in my mind.
If you have a wound and if you keep picking on it, it will never heal. And that's for Ali (Fazal) too.
It has really takes an emotional toll because when you are in that costume and saying those dialogues...
My husband Cheeta (Chaitanya Sharma aka SlowCheeta) used to make me laugh before I would sleep because he knew I would get nightmares.
I used to get nightmares that I was in the Mirzapur family and there was an attack!
Because those are the kind of emotions you have when you are shooting.
You keep thinking about Bablu and Sweety, and how unfair and unfortunate it was and you keep going through those feelings again and again.
I could not detach myself from projects like this and Haramkhor. These two have affected me the most.
That's why Golu is my favourite character because she was so difficult to understand and portray.
How much did you miss Vikrant Massey's Bablu and Shriya Pilgaonkar's Sweety, who were killed in the first season?
We missed them a lot!
But if we hadn't said bye bye to them, then season 2 would not have happened!
Cheeta is upset till date ki Bablu ko kaisa maar diya?
But I say that Bablu nahin jaata to Golu Golu nahin banti. (Laughs.)
What feedback did your husband give about Mirzapur?
My family is the biggest fan of Mirzapur.
While shooting, I wasn't allowed to talk about it so that no spoilers would be out.
I wasn't allowed to say whom I was shooting my scene with because then they would put two and two together.
- Part 2: 'I want to surprise my audience'
