Interview | Playing late Indira Gandhi is challenging: Fatima Sana Shaikh

After the two pandemic years played truant with her, Fatima Sana Shaikh is all set to look back at the tough times in 2021 especially during the lockdown. Terming her career as quite a fresh journey, Fatima tells us that she’s discovering herself with each character she’s been playing. “I’ve a lot more to learn and so I wanted the lockdown to end and get into the process. I’m also happy that with 2021, we’ve moved [a little more] towards normalcy and that the shoots have begun.”

Finding what she likes

Fatima, who has started shooting with Anil Kapoor for an unannounced project, recently signed on the dotted lines of the upcoming Meghna-Gulzar directorial, Sam Bahadur”.

Starring Vicky Kaushal as the male lead, the film will have Fatima playing the role of the history-making woman, Indira Gandhi. Talking about starting work with the director soon, Fatima shares, “I feel truly blessed to have bagged this opportunity to work with Meghna whose works I have admired and followed for a long time, and I consider working with her a personal milestone. So, I’m super pumped to start shooting with her. Of course, playing the role of a person who’s been the first woman prime minister of this country is challenging.”

Up and running

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Fatima had three releases during the lockdown — Ludo and Ajeeb Daastaans on the OTT and the other being a hybrid one Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari. “I feel grateful that even though I was sitting in isolation, my work was reaching the audiences! Starting with the success of Ludo on the OTT and then Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari being the first film to release in theatres once the lockdown eased and then the appreciation received for Ajeeb Daastaans, I’m very happy that I am able to keep audiences entertained through my work!”