Meet Tabu, the existentialist

Toronto: Director Mira Nair's Namesake premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Monday. The film casts Tabu, who has been missing from the silver screen from quite some time now.

CNN-IBN correspondent Indira Kannan caught up with the enigmatic actress to find out how it felt playing the role of Ashima in the film Namesake.

Indira Kannan: Mira Nair, the director of Namesake has said that the character that you play in the film, Ashima, is really the anchor of the film. While shooting the film, did you feel that you were literally carrying it on your shoulders?

Tabu: If Mira says it then it might be true. But I did not look at it that way. I respect her opinion and it really makes me proud being called the anchor of the film.

For me, it was a chance to experiment. The simple fact that I play this character who goes through a gamut of emotions covering a huge age-span gave me the chance to experiment. The character of Ashima is not just a silent spectator. She has so many shades to her. She is individualistic in her own way. She is intense and rich in what she has inside her. It was great for me to be able to play her.

Indira Kannan: You are used to playing roles in a lot of regional Indian languages. Was it very different to do a film in English?

Tabu: It was a new experience to be doing an English film. At times, I did feel a bit odd. I could see myself saying all those lines and crying and talking in English and at the same time I felt, it was not who I am in real life. But of course I managed to balance my role between fiction and reality, and it came out beautifully.

Indira Kannan: What about the authentic Bengali accent that you have sported in the film. How did you practice that?

Tabu: I hope it comes across as authentic. I hope the Bengalis don't kill me when they find mistakes. I have done a Bengali film called Abar Aranye and so I was a little familiar with the language. Also I have Bengali friends, so that helped.

Indira Kannan: There was tremendous applause at the screening of the film at the Toronto Film Festival on Monday night. What were some of the comments and reactions that you got from people there?

Tabu: Someone came up to me and asked me how old I really am? I guess the aging process is so convincing that they don’t know actually what is true. I of course told them my real age.

Indira Kannan: Thank you for talking to us.

Tabu: Thank you.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)

#tabu #Mira Nair #Namesake #Toronto International Film Festival