In her career as an actor, Taranjit Kaur has not only straddled between different mediums, she has also worked in different types of projects and essayed a plethora of varied characters. Whether it’s the Oscar-winning German film ‘Raju’, the Hindi film ‘Airlift’ or the web show ‘Asur’, she has left an indelible impact with every project she has been a part of till date.
Recently, Taranjit garnered accolades for her performance in the Zee5 original series ‘Shabad – Reet Aur Riwaaz’. In the series, which has been created by Jayati Pandya and directed by Ameet Guptha, one sees Taranjit portray the character of Manjot, a woman whose world revolves around her family.
Manjot, the character you play in ‘Shabad – Reet Aur Riwaaz’, is a woman of strength who keeps the family together. Where did you draw inspiration to play such a character?
Most of my inspiration came from my mother. I have always admired the way she has managed to hold the entire family together. I always feel mothers create this balancing force and operate as the anchor of the family. They serve as a bridge between the father and the children. Manjot is a God fearing woman who is extremely supportive towards her husband and children. She is also a fearless woman who does not bow down in the face of adversity.
You grew up in a Sikh family and would listen to shabads and kirtans every day. That must have helped you while playing this character.
If you go through my filmography, you will realize that I have mostly played characters from Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. This was the first time I got the opportunity to play a Sikh character. It was like going back to my roots. I have grown up in a family where my grandparents and parents would do shabads and kirtans every day. Even now, when my parents wake up in the morning, they listen to shabads. I have grown up in a religious family. It was, therefore, easy for me to relate to these characters. I feel blessed to have got the opportunity to play Manjot and be a part of this series.
What attracts you to a project?
The script has to entice me. If I do not feel excited reading something, I would not be able to create a sense of excitement in the audience when I play that part. I like taking up challenging parts. One of my first films was a British film called ‘Mouth of Hell’. I played a coal miner in it. I had to lose a lot of weight within fifteen days to play that part. I didn’t just stop eating. I stopped drinking water too. When I met the women working in the coal mines, I realized they were starving. I was playing a dying coal miner. So, I had to look even more famished. By the end of those fifteen days, my lips were cracked. I do believe in hardcore method acting. Some people might find it crazy but I guess every actor has his or her own process. Playing Manjot in this series was challenging. Initially, she is shown as a loving wife and mother. Then, certain things happen and she has to work towards keeping her family together. There were many layers and complexities in the character.
You started doing theatre when you were fifteen years of age. How did that training help you?
Theatre can play a very important role in helping you portray different characters. If you want to be a doctor, you will go to medical school. How do you express yourself as an actor without being trained? Studying the craft is important. When I am not shooting, I am rehearsing for a play. For me, it is important to explore and learn about new techniques. All the training I went through helped me display a wide range of emotions. Training gives you a strong foundation as an actor. You see any film or show and you realize theatre actors always stand out.
One of your most successful theatre productions has been ‘The Chai Queens’.
I always had this wish to produce my own theatre productions. A few years ago, I started a production house called The Forbidden Productions. It is a theatre travelling company. We have done shows with it in Europe and the UK. For ‘The Chai Queens’, we won several awards and got great reviews as well. The beauty of doing theatre is that when you are performing a play, there is a huge exchange of energy with the audience. That is not possible in cinema. Even if I do ten films a year, I will find the time for theatre.
Along with acting, you have also managed to keep your passion for spoken word poetry alive.
I come from a family of writers and painters. My father has always encouraged us to follow our interests and dreams. One day, he said something important which I remember till date. He said that all of us have come to this planet with a purpose. He would say you have to identify your purpose and then, go where it takes you. I started writing poetry when I was ten years old. Once I came to Mumbai and started doing films back-to-back, I realized that I am portraying characters that are written for me by other people. When I do spoken word poetry, I am able to give a voice to my own thoughts. I express myself and share my journey with the audience in my own words. I am able to build a beautiful connection with the audience through it. If I can inspire just one person, I would feel that I have done my job well.
You are doing a series called ‘Ikkathe’.
Yes! The show has been directed by Hardik Mehta. The show has a Punjabi flavour to it. It is about a conflict within a family. My co-actors in the show are Barun Sobti and Hasleen Kaur. Gursimran Khamba has written the show. The character I play in the series is very different from Manjot. I have shot for a couple of other shows which should come out soon. I am about to shoot for a film in Bengal soon.