Shweta Tripathi: I can’t be an arm candy in films

“For me two things are most important, the script and the team. Presence or lack of big stars don’t matter to me. I can’t do a film where I appear in a song and then disappear. I can’t be an arm candy.

“I do want to try out everything but films like ‘Masaan’ give you more satisfaction… I am not sure if I will be able to play a bimbette. It will be difficult for me,” Shweta told PTI.

Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Masaan” was screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival where it also won two awards. Back home, the Varanasi-set drama got rave reviews by the audience and the critics upon its release.

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Since her debut was such a successful film, selecting her future projects in Bollywood might be a tough task for the actress, but Shweta is not worried and she said she will not crumble under the pressure by going on a signing spree.

“I don’t want to be impatient. It has taken me a long time to get here, so I am in no hurry and I will not throw it all away by going on a signing spree. I am in a good space right now and a few scripts are coming my way. But my criteria for choosing a film is same as it was before ‘Masaan’,” said the actress.

In the film, Shweta plays Shaalu Gupta, the love interest of a lower-caste boy and the actress said the simplicity of the character attracted her. “When I read the script, I knew I had to live up to this character. She lights up the screen, she is like the red balloon in the film.

Shweta said Ghaywan wrote the character keeping her in mind after the two bonded over their love for ’90s Bollywood songs during a party.

“Neeraj and Varun (Grover) wrote Shalu keeping me in mind. That is the biggest compliment for me. At a party we danced and bonded over our love for ’80s and ’90s Bollywood song.”

Shweta said “Masaan” has been a great blessing for her as despite being an outsider, she has managed to grab the attention of filmmakers and actors in Bollywood with just her performance.

“The feedback that I have been getting from people who I have always admired like Javed Akhtar, Rajkumar Hirani, Aamir Khan, Habib Faisal, Farhan Akhtar, is overwhelming. The best compliment I received was from Hirani sir, who said that I reminded him of innocent love that no longer is seen in films or real life.”

Shweta is hoping that her next film “Haramkhor”, directed by another debutante Shlok Sharma, meets with similar fate as “Masaan”. The film, also starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is a story about a teacher and his student.

“Working with Nawaz is the best acting workshop one can get. He is so good. The shooting is complete, now we are awaiting release, which will hopefully happen this year. It has travelled to so many international film festivals but nothing beats theatrical release in one’s own country,” said Shweta.