 "Seema Biswas shines in Khoya Paya which was shone at IFFI 2025, Goa")
Seema Biswas shines in Khoya Paya which was shone at IFFI 2025, Goa. The film is about an elderly mother being abandoned by her son at Kumbh Mela. Known for her performance in ‘Bandit Queen’, Seema Biswas truly understands that audiences have developed a refined taste for cinema, they will not accept whatever that is given to them.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
As we can understand, movies are not really doing well in theatres. What do you have to say about Bollywood’s obsession with stars?
Stars alone cannot make a film successful. Audiences today are very intelligent. What works for them is good content and how the craftsman treats the character. It is very important for actors to concentrate of their craft.
Do you think it is a great time for actors now?
Now is the right time for our kind of actors because there is a variety of content. After the pandemic there is more content. People got a lot of time to watch global content. Budget and stars don’t make a film work. It’s always the content.
Your preparation for The Family Man 3 …
I was telling my directors Raj and DK for The Family Man 3 that the toughest acting is that of lawyers and politicians because you cannot show emotions. Raj once called me and said that he generally didn’t talk to actors after finishing the shoot because he didn’t have the habit of complementing them on the phone. Initially when I read the script, I tried to connect with my character and then I performed it with all my heart.
I still remember during the shoot of Bandit Queen with Shekhar Kapur, once I felt very disturbed because I was not happy with the way I performed one scene. And the one thing he told me was- ‘Thappad khaane se pehle thappad ka dard mehsoos mat karna.’ We perform instinctively when we are on the sets.
Lachmi Deb Roy is the Entertainment Editor of Firstpost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. She is a 'Rotten Tomatoes' certified critic. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes a huge interest in world cinema. She has been the winner of the prestigious Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until it's a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.