Actor Kubbra Sait tells Sakshi Sharma that her forthcoming The Verdict-State Vs Nanavati demanded more preparations as she had to portray sadness without crying and anger without screaming
The lovely Kubbra Sait doesn’t look at acting as simply a matter of career. “I got the chance to work with some beautiful souls who are great teachers too. I couldn’t have asked for more,” she tells us, her voice sparkling and excited over the telephone as she prepares for her next online venture The Verdict-State Vs Nanavati. It’s not easy for an actor to imitate a character or even an emotion without engrossing themselves in it. And her changing roles have enabled her to plant memories and back stories with each role, a reservoir from which she draws life lessons and more. “These roles are about celebrating the small joys instead of dwelling upon the cracks along the way. I jumped over the cracks,” says she.
Her latest show is an adaptation of the 1959 case of a Naval Commander Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati who killed his wife’s lover, Prem Ahuja in a rage. Kubbra played the role of Prem Ahuja’s sister in the series. Since Mamie is one of the least spoken characters in the books of history, Kubbra was keen to know about her. So, when she read about her life and the choices she made not just during the trails but post trail too, that attracted her the most. She says, “People usually look at it only as a courtroom drama. But the series is written so inclusively that it shows many stories that take place outside the court. After seeing that you will realise the depth and graph of a human being. This attracted me instantly.”
Her character made her understand that everything in life can not be black or white, there are grey areas too. This is one thing Kubbra took home from the journey of Mamie.
Talking about her role she says, “It’s an honour to play it as it is. It is about Mamie’s strength, conviction and her resolute to stand against the society. She didn’t care about what people thought of her and stood there fighting and believing in what was right and just.”
She recalls the first few things Shashank Shah (director) told her. He said, “You (Kubbra) are a person who sees a character as it is. You have this edge. But Mamie is a rounded personality, she needs to be soft and fragile. There needs to be a very strong will power but at the same breadth there has to be the attitude of being broken down and the fear of being outspoken.” Therefore, the actor says that the preparatory process was about internalising emotions. She had to portray sadness without crying and anger without screaming. “It was interesting to approach this character with the most minimalistic and sometimes in the most exaggerated way. The idea was to flip a switch internally to play Mamie. So, once we got that it was a smooth ride,” she adds.
The case has inspired many books and films, Rustom being one of them. But Kubbra feels it is important to show different interpretations of the same story, especially when it is a real life incident because there are various dimensions attached to it. She questions, “How many times have we seen Beauty and the Beast or The Jungle Book being made and remade? And then answers it herself, “Some say it is a fairy tale while some don’t. A single film or series might not necessarily tell everything around a story. This is why various remakes of the same story should be made so that the audience knows all the shades. It should be left upon them to interpret it the way they want to.”
The series lays stress on the female driven characters. All the stories that have been told about this case have revolved around Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati. They have represented the male point of view majorly. “For the first time you will see the female point of view. There are important characters like Sylvia, Mamie, and many others whose stories needed to be told,” says she.
Her sequined gown, dark red lipstick, short sticky hair and fur stole makes one remember of Kukoo of Sacred Games, the role of a transgender bar dancer which initiated many conversations and debates in the society. The actor seems to enjoy the discussion and popularity that character brought to the table.
The immense joy in Kubbra’s voice while she was talking about her character made it quite evident how much she loved it. She says, “I had no idea that a well written and well perceived character can not only impact the actor’s life but also of the people who are facing gender issues or are questioning themselves about their identity.” It was not easy for her to play a character like this with so much grace and confidence. There are beautiful unanswered questions about her role which she feels will stay in the same state forever. Talking about this grey area she says, “There were questions whether Kukoo killed herself and if that was right or not, whether she was shot or not?” The beauty of the character is that it made the society discuss about transgenders. When we start discussing the uncomfortable, that is the first step towards normalising the issue and making it comfortable.
She has essayed the role of Natasha in Amazon Prime Video Going Viral Pvt Ltd which was her web debut. This made her experience life as an actor for the first time. She says that when Anurag (Kashyap) asked if she has some work to show, she only had this role apart from some shows that she had hosted. I could sense her chuckle on phone as she adds that the project served as her CV.
The digital world has taken over the market in recent times. It has served as a platform to showcase people’s talent from all across. In fact, for many it is the only source of employment. But, the actor feels that it existed before too, we have taken its notice today. She says, “It is a great time for writers and directors to be involved with web series. Though, most people say it’s the future but I feel it’s the present. So they need to revel in this present right now.”
The actor is all geared up for her forthcoming Dolly Kitty Aur Wo Chamakte Sitare.
(The series will premiere on ALTBalaji and Zee5 from September 30.)