Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker comes clean about being a rebel with a heart

Gulf News

Actress opens up about new web series ‘Bhaag Beanie Bhaag’ and speaking up for women  Read the full story: https://bit.ly/3n2OBP6   See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km  #Indian #Bollywood #BhaagBeanieBhaag

Transcript

00:00ultimately you just really need to lose the fear you know, whether if it's of our parents, whether it's of society, whether it's of uncertainty

00:09it's nice to see women tell their stories, that's one of the best parts about OTT IP

00:14lot more women on the screen

00:16I think that of course even Bollywood has in the last I would say about 4-5 years

00:23become far more open to female forward content and content which is more women centric

00:30and the nice part is that it's doing well on the box office as well

00:34but I think the OTT has just swung it for us

00:38and I think the nice thing is because the OTT has that opportunity and has that space

00:43and has that freedom most importantly

00:45I think you are seeing lot more interesting female characters that you have not seen before

00:51so the recurring theme in most of your roles are like it's non conformist

00:54what is it about you that film makers think you cannot conform to the usual rules

00:59I don't know I am really not a rebel in my personal sort of space in that sense

01:03I mean of course I have never needed to rebel because my parents have been very liberal

01:05and maybe that's why, maybe because in my home context and my family context I am so secure

01:12that in the outside world I can play this role of rebel whether it's in my activist work or it's in my acting work

01:20but actually if you look at me at home I am the most homely person

01:26I love family scenes, I am fully into relationships, I have no problem with anything

01:32I just believe that everyone should have the right to do what they want to do

01:35that is what I feel about a lot of things

01:38I mean of course obviously not extreme things

01:42you can't force people to think the way you want

01:44and I think that as a feminist you have to allow women to choose

01:48if they choose to do something that is ritualistically, symbolically conservative

01:57then we should talk about it, but you shouldn't force anyone

02:00things mean different things to different people

02:02Beanie is actually very interesting because she is basically a girl

02:05who like so many young women in I would say sub continent and also in middle east I am sure

02:10are close to their family and are basically good girls

02:15and they have been brought up by certain set of family values

02:18that values the obedience a lot

02:22and so she is basically without realizing not because anyone has forced her

02:26it's not an abusive context or anything

02:29she has basically spent her whole life saying yes everyone else's expectations

02:35and she just obviously because she is educated woman and she has her own opinions

02:40she is in conflict

02:42and the one time she says no to the expectations of everyone else

02:48and yes to her own desire

02:50it's basically a journey story, self discovery story

02:53of whether or not Beanie is going to be able to live

02:58and be able to survive on the path that she has chosen

03:01so actually it's not about only comedy

03:04I think that it's a very universal theme

03:06because I think that a lot of young people

03:08especially from our cultures whether it's sub continent or middle east

03:11or actually so many places in the world

03:13where you are very close to your family and your parents

03:16we have to juggle their expectations and the expectations of our parents

03:20with our own desires, it's a very real thing for a lot of people

03:24one thing about Indian parents they do all the right things like you said

03:27give you a great education, allow you to go out

03:30but when it comes to marriage they are weirdly very traditional

03:33and they want you to tick the boxes

03:35even the most progressive set of parents

03:37suddenly they become very archaic in their thinking

03:39it's unbelievable that disconnect that you see

03:42the dichotomy between who you are and suddenly who you become

03:45when marriage crops up, does the show address that?

03:49it doesn't really because she has actually run out of her marriages

03:53I think on that issue though

03:56that I feel the onus is on the kids

03:58I feel that a lot of times Indian kids don't stand up enough to their parents

04:02I think that if you actually stand up and put up a fight

04:06or at least put your point across and put your argument across

04:09parents come around, they can't help it

04:11they love us at the end of the day

04:13maybe they will be angry for a while but they will come around

04:16they can't help it

04:18and I think that a lot of Indian kids do not put up enough of a fight

04:22again the problem is that our culture teaches us to be unthinkingly obedient

04:28our values teach us to be unthinkingly obedient

04:31and I think that is the problem

04:33if we did actually stand our ground

04:38and be like no, this is who I love, this is who I want

04:42whatever, I think parents tend to give in

04:44ultimately you just really need to lose the fear

04:47whether it's of our parents, whether it's of society, whether it's of uncertainty

04:52I think in the case of Beanie she is so scared of uncertainty

04:55whether it's a failure

04:57I have always felt that fear is a very negative emotion

05:01it doesn't help you at all, it is not going to do anything for you

05:04for any of us

05:05what works for you in these, at least what worked for you

05:07you have come to a good place

05:09and I am assuming people know you and they respect you

05:12as a talent as well as an activist

05:14what has worked for you, what emotion has worked for you in your favor

05:18faith and conviction

05:20and I think courage of conviction

05:24faith but also I do have to say the knowledge that my family will be there for me

05:28whatever happens

05:30I think my parents don't get enough credit for this

05:33lot of people are like Swara is so brave, Swara is so courageous

05:37I am only brave because my parents are behind me

05:39I am not scared of anything in the world

05:41because I know I can come home to my parents no matter what

05:45and I think that is really the most

05:49that is the everlasting gift parents can give their children

05:52especially their girl children

05:53just let their children know that they will be there for them forever

05:56however old you are, I am in my 30s now

05:59but it's still so

06:03I derive so much strength from my parents

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