The Trial actress Sheena Chohan: “I try to be like a blank page for my directors”

“My goal in life is to entertain audiences through great stories,” says actress Sheena Chohan who is currently seen in The Trial on Disney+ Hotstar starring Kajol. Sheena who made her feature film debut opposite Mammootty in The Train (2011) has had an unconventional journey. Sheena reflects on the unconventional path she has followed in an exclusive conversation with Cine Blitz, where she also talks about her latest outing The Trial and playing a historic character in one of her upcoming releases.

Tell me about the character you play in The Trial.

Sheena Chohan: I play a Christian girl from Bandra named Jasmin Lobo. She’s a very quiet character. When you are playing a very extroverted and glamorous character, they are of course very entertaining. But when you are playing someone who is very quiet and introverted but has a lot going on I think it’s more difficult to play that kind of a character. I got to express and communicate through my eyes.

I took to this character like a fish to water. I did my best. I went to the Bandra churches, I interacted with these Christian girls in Bandra. I spent time with a young friend I made and observed her life. I had coffee with her and got to know about her childhood. It was a very amazing process to bring all this into creating my character.

How did you bag the role in The Trial?

Sheena Chohan: I had seen director Suparn S Varma’s work in the past. The film is completely a director’s medium. I want to work with wonderful directors and luckily, I have attracted that so far. So, I reached out to Suparn Varma with my work profile and expressed my interest in wanting to work with him and appreciating the work that he had been doing.

After the shooting, Suparn told me that when the casting for The Trial began, he had recommended my name to Casting Bay who got in touch with me. So, I auditioned for it and I got the part.

Also read: Trial Period director Aleya Sen reveals why she cast Genelia Deshmukh and Manav Kaul in the lead roles

What kind of response have you received so far for your performance in The Trial?

Sheena Chohan: The response has been encouraging. Jairaj, who directed me opposite Mammootty in my debut said, “Sheena, your commitment as an actor and professionalism shows on screen and it is admirable.”

My theatre Guru Arvind Gaur said, “Sheena you are a sensitive actress. You know how to perform difficult and complex emotions intelligently. I am really proud of you.

A top casting director/friend said, “There is subtlety in your performance. The scene was simply layered on paper but you still held your own by being real and in the moment and made it intense as well as interesting by adding nuances.”

I have nothing but gratitude in my heart for the responses pouring in. The story is being loved by audiences and the show is successful. I love stories and being part of a story that I love is exciting for me. I think it’s a worthy way of spending one’s life. My goal in life is to entertain audiences through stories.

You made your feature film debut with The Train (2011) in which you played the role of Mammootty’s wife. But after that do you think you have got roles as per your expectations?

Sheena Chohan: I feel that my journey has been very unconventional. I think what we actors bring to the table is life. There’s a depth of human experience, the joy of it, the tragedy of it, the contradiction of it. That’s what one is supposed to do in every moment. Of course, there’s a technique in it too. So, I always look for characters that are exciting, rooted in reality but at the same time larger-than-life.

My journey has been very unconventional. It started with Mr. Mamootty in the South. After that, I did two short films with the legendary Buddhadeb Dasgupta. Later, I did a film called Ant Story with Mostafa Sarwar Farooki for which I was nominated for the award for Best Actress alongside Keira Knightley and Kate Beckinsale at the Dubai International Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2014.

Also read: Priyanka Chopra Jonas: “I had always believed that I am destiny’s favourite child”

Every project and role that I have done has challenged me. I try to be like a blank page for my directors. This is my unique process and I enjoy it. This year is a very exciting year. The Trial is out now.

I have a very exciting Hindi film Sant Tukaram where I play the female lead opposite Marathi star Subodh Bhave. I play a lead which is an iconic historic character called Avali. Radhika Apte played that role in 2013 in the original Marathi film.

I have about four releases this year. I didn’t grow up with everything on my plate. I grew up with challenges. It has been a journey of hard work and the future looks endlessly beautiful.

The more unconventional the path the longer the waiting period for success. How did you keep yourself together while waiting for the right projects to come to you?

Sheena Chohan: Everyone has their unique journey. But you got to work to make things happen. This is the way I look at things. You got to rise above the system. I think the best thing about acting is that you get to practice empathy, you get to be in someone’s character, living somebody’s hopes and dreams and thinking about how you portray this role and bring it to life.

So, I travel a lot. I never wait. Instead of waiting for things to happen, go out and make it happen. Even when I am not doing a film, I am into my human rights work which is again a lot of empathy, it’s a lot about learning about life. Because it again comes down to your own art. And art is about empathy.

I work very passionately on Human Rights and I have used my waiting period to not wait but to go out and pursue my passion where I reach out to 170 million people with the message of human rights. I’m the only Indian actress to be awarded the Hero Award at the United Nations in 2019.

Also read: Screenwriter Sumit Arora on his career: ‘It has been a journey of doing interesting things’

I am the ambassador for the United Human Rights which is a NGO in the world and I have been working in human rights for the last 10 years. I was always inspired to help spread awareness of the basic rights to equality. I grew up seeing how my mother wasn’t allowed to work and pursue her interest because she was a woman in a traditional family and all of that. So, I work with this simultaneously.

I think that my work in the entertainment industry goes hand in hand with spreading awareness and education about human rights. I want to use my platform and my voice to create more awareness about human rights and to create a positive effect. I want to reach Billions of people. I pursue it simultaneously and life has kept me busy and I have always pursued in stay true to my passion and my goal.

What was it like working with Subodh Bhave in Sant Tukaram?

Sheena Chohan: Subodh Bhave is so much fun to work with. He has so much experience. I’ll share a small story from the set. While we were shooting, he was looking in a certain direction and not at me. I asked him, “Why are you not looking at me? Why are you looking at the right-hand side of the camera?” He gave me a 20-minute class on the technique. His technique and craft are so strong. Working with him was an enlightening experience.

We shot in the Wadas of Bhor near Pune. After the shoot, we would go to eat lovely Maharashtrian food. I went to nearby villages to understand the way women live there and learn their body language. Sant Tukaram is an exciting film and I am looking forward to its release.

Also read: Sanghmitra Hitaishi: “I will play characters that I think I should be playing”

How did you land the roles in Justice and the international film Nomad?

Sheena Chohan: I did Justice with Bappaditya Bandopadhyay. I play the lead with Rajshri Deshpande and Bidita Baag. The director, unfortunately, passed away. But it is an interesting film. It shall release this year and do an international circuit round. I play a ghost in the film. We shot in the beautiful hills of Cherrapunji. I am very happy to be a part of it and I really enjoyed working with Bappaditya.

A casting director from Hollywood got in touch with me for Nomad. I think the film is shot in 25 countries. Director Taron Lexton was wonderful to work with. I play Nadia who is a traveller. It is going to release in the US this year. I don’t know whether it will be released in India.