‘I’m there in every frame of this film.’
‘The film is named after the character that I play.’
‘It’s about a feeling like you are capable of shouldering a film entirely on your own, which is a belief that I may not have in myself always.’

IMAGE: Shahana Goswami on the Santosh poster.

Shahana Goswami is “thrilled” about her film Santosh being the United Kingdom’s selection for Oscars 2025.

Helmed by British Indian Director Sandhya Suri, Santosh tells the story of a young widow, who inherits her husband’s job of a police constable and then gets involved in a young girl’s murder investigation.

The celebrations have started, but Shahana tells Ronjita Kulkarni/Rediff.com: “I’m also enjoying the process of clarifying to people that we are not going to the Oscars (yet). It’s just been submitted as a selection. I hope I have *that* news to share at some point as well, but as of now, I’m still very, very happy that we’ve been chosen in a position to be selected.”

You have done so many beautiful films like Firaaq and Zwigato. But this is the first time your film has been selected for the Oscars. And it’s not even sent by India. Do you feel bad about things like this?

Yes, not specifically with this film. It’s harder in terms of selecting a film from India because you have so many films. Basically, every film we make qualifies for the nomination because all our films are in a foreign language, right?

But there, it’s a smaller pool that you have to select from — a British film that is not in English.

IMAGE: Shahana at Cannes. Photograph: Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters

You play a young widow in rural India, who becomes a constable. It’s so far removed from your world. How did you get into that character?

I had a meltdown the day before the shoot!

I get this Imposter syndrome; I feel it in almost every project where I’m playing a character that’s very far removed from who I am.

Besides Santosh, I felt it very strongly in films like Firaaq and Zwigato.

IMAGE: Santosh Director Sandhya Suri flanked by cast members Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar at Cannes. Photograph: Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters

What’s the best part about being in a film like Santosh?

The quality of writing and story-telling.

When I read this script, it really drew me into it.

I like that kind of narrative, which is not beating something into your head or overemphasising. Zwigato was also a lot like that.

For me, personally, it’s the fact that I get to shoulder an entire film.

I’m there in every frame of this film.

The film is named after the character that I play.

It’s about a feeling like you are capable of shouldering a film entirely on your own, which is a belief that I may not have in myself always.

IMAGE: Shahana with Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor in Ra.One.

You started your career with commercial cinema like Rock On, Honeymoon Travels, Ra.One and Heroine. But you’ve almost stopped doing commercial movies. Is that a conscious choice or is Bollywood finding it hard to give you good roles?

I have never consciously done commercial films. Even Rock On and Honeymoon Travels weren’t exactly commercial films. They are popular films.

I’ve done very few commercial films like Ra.One and Heroine, and that’s been a conscious choice.

Usually what happens is if you’re in an industry for that long, people tend to have an association with you for so long that there is a sense of aging and predictability.

Hollywood still finds joy in taking different actors, sometimes unknown actors, who they believe in and push it and make it work because they are good for the part. Then, they push the film to its success.

They create stars out of people or have existing stars choose to do non-glamorous parts or non-glamorous actors ending up doing these really glamorous parts. They take a chance and give that surprise element to the audience.

I wish one would see more of that here. We’re not there yet. I think we’re getting there, but we’re not there yet.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Shahana Goswami/Instagram

Have you ever felt like a misfit in Bollywood, with your unconventional looks and choices and their conventional heroine roles?

To be very honest, no, because I feel like if I were a misfit, I wouldn’t have done the amount of work that I’ve done.

I wouldn’t have got the kind of welcomeness and warmth that I get from everyone across the board.

To me, that is a sign that I have always been appreciated for whatever I’ve done.

Whether that translates to direct work or not…I am a realist.

It’s a huge privilege that I have been able to do work that resonates with me and still be a consistently employed actor.

To have had the choice to say no to projects because so far in my life, I have never not had work.

I may have chosen not to do work for a long period of time but so far, I have not had a period when nothing was coming my way.

So for somebody who doesn’t conventionally fit any bill, who is not consistently around and advertising themselves or reminding the world or the industry of themselves and to still keep getting work and the kind of work that I feel like saying yes to, it’s great.

It’s really all on my terms and a dream come true.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Shahana Goswami/Instagram

v>

Are you happy with the roles coming your way?

I still have that faith that at some point, there will be that opportunity to feel challenged differently and do something that’s not expected of me.

Like even in The Suitable Boy, for me to play a part like Meenakshi, nobody would ever dare to think of me in that part, not even myself.

I don’t know why I auditioned for it.

I was like, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. How will I do this?

But it just happened when you channel some part of yourself that you have never tapped into.

Would you like to be a Rani in a film like Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani?

Of course!

It has great storytelling, I like the messaging, I like the way it is. I really love that film.

But you will never see me in a film like Rocky And Rani because big productions like that need big names to sell them.

I know that the day I’m — suddenly for some reason — viable, famous or saleable, it’ll all shift. That’s just the nature of things.

It’ll happen if it has to happen, but not everybody’s course might be that.

I’m very clear on not short-changing myself or selling myself short on my own dream.

I know what my appetite is as an actor and what I would like to do and not do.

I’m not interested in playing a small part in a big film.

I want to feel like a head of the department.

I want to take more responsibility and shoulder more.

I’m being able to do it in films like Santosh and I can see that I’m good at it.

I’m capable of it.

I can hold a film.

IMAGE: Shahana in Zwigato.

Do you feel like you have been given your due?

You mean, am I hungry for more? Of course!

Every creative person, every artist is always hungry for more, especially when you’re in a medium which is collaborative.

I’ve always said I am ambitious, but in a different way.

I’m not ambitious about being famous or making lots of money, or being known commercially.

For me, my ambition is about working with people that I admire.

I’m ready to do big projects. Like, I’d love to be part of Dune.

I think I’ve got a lot more than what I could have hoped for or imagined.

IMAGE: Shahana with Akshay Ajit Singh in Four Years Later.

What are you working on?

Currently, I have not said yes to any new project.

Santosh is doing the rounds now.

I’m doing an Australian television series called Four Years Later, where I play the central romantic lead. It’s about a couple who are separated immediately after their wedding and then their paths cross again four years later.

I’m hoping that this becomes a kind of catapult for me and for projects like these to be made across the world.