There has never been a moment in actor Sarika’s career, which involves moving away from acting and taking three sabbaticals, that she has operated from a space of fear. Not when she took her first break at 25, not when she ran out of money during the lockdown, not even when there were well-meaning friends, who were worried if she will ever get work in the industry.
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Sarika, who started working at the age of five, took a sabbatical in 1986 when she became mother to Shruti Haasan. The actor says she could not see herself juggle work and raising a child like other women do successfully.
“When I conceived Shruti, I told myself, ‘That’s it from movies now’ because I like to give my 100 percent. My admiration and respect for women who can juggle bringing up a child and their career. I am not that smart.
“By then, I had worked for so many years. What people start in 20 and finish at 50, I had finished it by the time I was 25. I was not exhausted; I had done it all. I was ready for bringing up kids, focusing on my family,” Sarika told indianexpress.com.
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The actor then ventured into sound and costume designing and went on to assist cinematographer PC Sreeram. She was away from acting, but never out of work. She eventually returned to the screen in the mid 2000s with films like Parzani and Bheja Fry, only to realise that good roles for her were drying up. After Baar Baar Dekho in 2016, Sarika took another break.
“I was done waiting. When actors say they are waiting but good roles are not coming, at least 80 percent of them are telling the truth, may be the rest are making excuses. I thought I was just wasting my life. I would wake up, wait, go to sleep. It was rubbish. I consciously stopped acting. I decided that for a year I won’t work. My friends panicked, told me, ‘Don’t be stupid! This industry is such that they will not get you back.’ I was like, it is ok, if I am offered ‘buddhi’ (old woman) ka role, I would happily take that up as well. I just wanted to act,” she added.
Sarika eventually moved to theatre, not to act, but in the backstage. The experience was so fulfilling that the one-year break turned into five years, with her even backing a major production, until things came crashing in 2020.
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“I also produced my own play then. We had a crew of 25 people, with 18 actors. But then COVID hit. When we came out of the lockdown, zyada tar logo ke paise khatam hogaye the, mere bhi hogaye the (most of the people didn’t have money, even I didn’t have it). No one gets paid more than artistes, so I came back to acting!”
This year, Sarika returned to the screens with Prime Video’s anthology Modern Love and is currently awaiting the release of her feature film, Uunchai. Directed by Sooraj Barjatya, the film also stars Amitabh Bachcha, Boman Irani and Anupam Kher.
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“It was just sheer blessing, that Modern Love and Uunchai came to me. I feel so fortunate with the work that came my way. This has been a good year and I am so happy to be back, again,” she added.
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Jointly produced by Rajshri Productions, Boundless Media and Mahaveer Jain Films, Uunchai also stars Neena Gupta, Parineeti Chopra, Nafisa Ali and Danny Denzongpa. The film is scheduled to release on November 11.
