Tabassum Fatima Hashmi, popularly known as Tabu has come a long way in her cinematic journey. Today, she is often referred to as the thinking man’s favourite actress. She talks to Sugandha Indulkar about her journey, and the changing role of women in cinema…

You have been called: ‘one of the finest actresses in Indian cinema.’ What is your success mantra?

Success mantra, for me is whether I am doing my work on my terms, if all values which are important for me are kept intact. As you mature in experience, your definition of success changes. For me, my personal aims are paramount. Success is how happy I have been and whether I have enjoyed doing what I did -- to be able to complete myself as a person, experience life fully is success for me.

In work, I should be able to able to live up to the standards that I have set for myself. The awards and accolades come later. I should always feel that I have given my work my hundred percent. This is essential for success.

Winning the Padmashri, at a young age, must have been a great moment, what were your first thoughts like?

When I won the Padmashri, my entire life flashed in front of my mind. It kept happening for a few days. Actually, when the news was shown on TV, I was getting my hair done in a salon. I was doing ‘Life of Pi’ and was to leave for Pondicherry the next day. The whole unit of ‘Life of Pi’ was celebrating for me, I was surrounded by flowers, gifts and there was jubilation all around me. It was a great moment because it is an honour for my whole cinematic journey. The real feeling sank in when I was entering the Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. Being honoured with the Padmashri was really gratifying.

Most of your movies are off beat, yet unique in their own way. How do you select your movies?

I choose films and characters instinctively. I don’t judge anything, while I am choosing a movie. I enjoy the differences in every film. It doesn’t matter to me, what genre a film belongs to. I decide to do a movie if the role or the character appeals to me, or sometimes I want to work with a certain director, or sometimes I want to experiment with my looks. Possibly, that is why I have done films in so many different languages. When I won the national award for ‘Maachis’ (in 1996), an offbeat film in the same year my Telugu film ‘Ninne Pelladata’ won the national award for ‘best wholesome entertainment’ and it was an out and out commercial movie. The very idea of being able to rediscover myself in a new role excites me and often affects my choice of a movie.

Your roles, especially in movies like Astitva have redefined roles of women in society – how do you do it, is it a deliberate effort or does it come naturally to you?

In ‘Astitva’ my role was definitely powerful. I was much younger then, and the movie was showcasing the life of this woman – a dedicated home maker of the twenties moving onto her forties, her desires, conflicts and more. The role was exceptional, I am happy I got to do it. I was so passionate about this character that I wanted to do it. I wanted to tell the world her story. I loved this character and the transition that it showed – all of it was indeed a liberating experience for me. I simply portray my understanding of the character vis-à-vis the story. There is nothing deliberate about it. I strive to give my best performance – nothing else is on my mind at that time and that possibly shows. 

 Tell us about your school days.

I have studied in St Ann’s Girls High School in Hyderabad. I loved my school a real lot. It was second home to me. I was good student, sincere and aspired to excel in my studies. I was good with chemistry and languages. I used to find math quite difficult. My maternal grandfather was a great mathematician – to me he was no less than Einstein. So my school-level math problems were too small for him. My maternal grandmother was an educationist. Back in Hyderabad, we have a large house, with a huge courtyard around, we had a pond, a beautiful garden and pet dogs. It was great growing up in such a nice atmosphere. My grandparents were asked to run a school for underprivileged children after they had formally retired. So, I too value education a lot.

 How should young Indians overcome failures?

If a child does not do well in studies, the child does not become redundant. Parents should play a more supportive role if their ward is unable to excel in education. We need to assess a child’s strengths and weaknesses and build on their areas of interest and strengths. Parents should be more encouraging and loving – it’s positive motivation alone that can help the child perform better the next time. Teachers and parents have to stop forcing their expectations on a child. 

What is your dream role?

I would like to do an action movie. I haven’t done a prominently action flick and that is something I would like to do now. The agility, action, power of such a role attracts me.

Some Screen Musings

Drishyam

Tabu as Inspector General Meera Deshmukh plays a mean, menacing top cop, who will not stop at anything, until she has found out the truth behind the disappearance of her only son – Sameer – ‘Sam’ Deshmukh.

Fitoor

Tabu as Begum Hazrat Jaan (Miss Havisham) holds her intrigue value high and keeps the drama on, between the protagonist Aditya Roy Kapur and Katrina Kaif. Her affinity for high living and her acute sense of alienation are cornerstones of this character, which Tabu depicts aptly.

Haider

Tabu plays the role of Ghazala Meer – this is an emotionally high-strung role based on the character of Gertrude from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Tabu’s finesse and élan take this role to different level altogether.

The Namesake

Tabu plays the quintessential mother – Ashima Ganguli and portrays the feelings of loneliness, displacement and alienation – while being the doting wife and mother at the same time.

Cheeni Kum

As 34-year-old Nina Verma, and love interest of 64-year-old Indian hotelier Buddhadev Gupta played by none other than Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu excels in her craft and gains the love of all her viewers.

Life of Pi

As Gita Patel, Pi’s mother Tabu once again toes the line of being a caring mother and duty-bound wife at the same time.

Tabu wants to do an action film... watch it here