Bollywood actress Shikha Talsania speaks to Outlook about her latest show ‘Potluck’, its success on the digital platform, and how OTT platforms are changing the game for actors who were not getting enough work before the advent of streaming platforms.
Actress Shikha Talsania has been in the film industry since ‘Wake Up Sid’, and slowly and steadily made a mark for herself. She has carved a niche for herself in the industry where she is specifically looked out for certain kinds of characters that are not just funny but even relatable to the women of today.
In a candid chat with Prateek Sur, Shikha Talsania opens up about her latest show ‘Potluck’, which went on to become a massive success on OTT, the overall medium of OTT and its popularity, her learnings during this lockdown, and lots more. Excerpts:
How did ‘Potluck’ come to your plate?
The creators of the show Pavneet and Gaurav got in touch with me. I read the script and I fell in love with it instantaneously and, I said, ‘If that’s my character then, the pleasure is all mine and, I have to play it.’ It was as simple as that, to be honest. Such opportunities are wonderful. It's a very cute script, a sweet script and it has got a lot of heart and soul in it. We haven't seen this in a while. We haven't seen a relatable story of an urban middle-class Indian family and the cheesy dynamics between all of them and the simple things in life, the small things in life and the everyday things in life. So, I was very excited to be a part of it.
Do you have any personal childhood memories of doing a Potluck with friends or neighbours?
Of course! My family also is huge on potlucks. We've done it all our lives, and we still do it. The only thing that has changed is that kids have grown up. We still bring our dishes to the potluck with as much excitement as we used to before. So, it's been a part of my life for a very long time.
As the show was released on Sony LIV, I’ve to ask you this…With OTT coming in strongly over the past few years, do you think actors who were probably not getting enough work, are finally getting their due?
There's definitely there, but I just think the collective consciousness of us as viewers and creators has changed. We're looking for more stories. OTT has given us one more avenue. So, we are seeing stories from our country, from across the globe and from all the corners of it. It's extremely exciting to be a part of this revolution. As a performer, you just want to perform. The borders are merged and now we watch everything and anything.
Do you have any interesting things you learned during the lockdown? Like many people who went into baking, and people learned cooking, etc. What was your thing during the lockdown?
I have learnt to make perfectly round chapatis (laughs). I have learned how to be patient. Also, we all should stand together for kindness and the gratitude that we have. I have actually re-learned these things.
Many actors opened up about having faced depression during this lockdown phase. How did you maintain good mental health? Does staying with family help?
Absolutely, I mean I can’t speak for everyone. I don't know what everyone is going through, but for me it does help. I live very close to my family. I could go and meet them any time or they could come any time to me. My relationship with my family is beautiful, wonderful and we have open communication. At the end of the day, as we say in, ‘Potluck’, the family that eats together, stays together. Family is something that takes care of you ever since you were a child, so one should keep them close.