My FD of shows

A still from Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein

In the past two months, Shweta Tripathi Sharma's two series have been announced - the second season of Ye Kaali Kaali Ankhein, and the third season of Mirzapur. Both shows have been widely popular since their inception. That's why it's not surprising when the actor quips, "To me, these shows feel like long-term investment, just like FD [fixed deposit]. I invested well early on, and now, I get the benefits. It's a safety net that keeps me comfortable. Shows like Mirzapur are improving with every season. That set is filled with creators, directors and writers who will sit with you and discuss scenes, dialogues and take your inputs."

But Tripathi is far from satisfied just banking on these. Understandably, the artiste in her is hungry for challenging work. "People in our industry are always there to tell you what they feel will work. But I have never listened to them. It's important to listen to your gut feeling. It is a noisy industry, so you can't always hear your gut. Nawazuddin Siddiqui had told me early on in my career, ‘Always make sure you are enjoying yourself, and it's a good thing to be choosy.'"

Being choosy comes at a price. Sharma is willing to pay it to build a career that she will be proud of. "It is frustrating because there will be months you won't have work. On days, you'll break down because you're not on set." She cites the example of Kaalkoot (2023), pointing out how sometimes a well-made series too will go unnoticed. "Director Sumit Saxena gave me a brilliant show. It was poignant. It broke my heart that not enough people watched it."