So thankful to have played beautiful roles on the stage and screen: Siri Ravikumar

Her last big screen outing, Raj B Shetty’s directorial Swathi Muttina Male Haniye, may have brought her critical acclaim minus commercial success, “But that is something I was well aware of when I signed the film,” says actress Siri Ravikumar. “It is a niche film, the subject and its treatment were such too. It was supposed to be a film that was made only for OTT consumption, I never thought we would have a theatre release. However, it is only after it came out on OTT that I got more feedback for the film and the character I have played in there,” she says. With yet another experimental film in the pipeline with Bisi Bisi, Siri tells us that she is thrilled with the trajectory of her career wherein, she says, “The kind of work I have till now attracts productions that I want to be a part of.” Siri, also a theatre artiste who has just played Draupadi in the eight-hour long English play Parva, tells us that she is loving the kind of work coming her way.

‘The nature of the story of Parva is such that it requires more than 8 hours of performance’
After playing Draupadi in the latest eight-hour stage adaptation of SL Bhyrappa’s work, Parva, directed by Prakash Belawadi, Siri reveals that the act is still a work in progress. “Parva has had over 45 shows in its older, Kannada version. The English version was staged for the second set of shows recently. The nature of the play is such that it cannot be completed within a span of two hours or so. It is the Mahabharata demystified and it takes a little more than eight hours to tell this story, if you include the breaks. While the sheer idea of being a part of something this challenging and beautiful is fascinating, I find that we still look at it as a work in progress. There are still a couple of lines and different scenes yet to be added and we hope to do that with every set of shows,” says Siri. Interestingly, the play follows a format that seems to work with quite a number of audience members who say they love the experience of a long-drawn production. “The play is set for a US tour next year too,” she adds.

‘There’s a world of difference when it comes to choosing your roles for theatre and for film’For someone who began her stint in theatre back in 2010, Siri says her experience on stage and behind the scenes has held her in good stead. “I would say I have this ongoing affair with theatre, and I am thankful to have been able to play such beautiful roles on stage so far. Being a part of theatre and playing a role for stage does help understand how to read a script for film too. You can see yourself thinking about what sort of role the character plays in the film, think about what it is that you can bring into the character at hand,” she explains, adding, “However, there are other factors that come into play when you decide to take up a film. For theatre, you just read parts and figure out which one works best for you. For film, well, there are so many different reasons why you choose to take up a role – here, it is not just about your role alone. I could choose to be a part of a commercial caper that is going to help the economic growth of the film industry even if I have a minuscule role to play in it. I would just be happy to be a part of History as it were.”

‘I find social media exhausting; prefer to stay engaged in other activities instead’Not one to consider herself on top of the Insta game, Siri explains that she is fine with the slow pace she has opted for on that front. “I know I need to be out there, with the regular posts and updates. There are days when I step up and do what is required in full force, but I also tend to just disappear from that scene at times. Honestly, I find it exhausting and all too time-consuming. I used to overthink and try to jump onto that bandwagon. You see actors posting stuff all the time, but what you do not see is the struggle they are going through behind that façade. I am now aware that it is never like what you see on social media. It is not easy for any one and it took me a while to realize that, and I promised myself that I would never do that to myself again. It is important to get away and declutter from time to time. There are periods in the career of an actor when nothing is happening and that can get quite scary and lonely too. It is important to address these issues, one needs to be fully aware of what one is feeling first to be able to overcome it. It will all be okay at the end of the day. During these times, I try to ensure that I stay busy with other things. I host events, run podcasts, binge watch films and series on OTT and find myself observing how actors have played certain parts in different situations; and I focus on upskilling, whether it is learning dance or rediscovering music – I keep myself totally engaged.”



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