Tillotama Shome is on a roll. She completes 25 years as an actor this year; her debut film, Monsoon Wedding, released on November 30, 2001, in Indian cinemas. Last week saw the release of Ikka, her most commercial film to date, co-starring Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna. Meanwhile, she turned producer last year with the Bengali film Baksho Bondi aka Shadowbox (2025), which also featured her as the main lead. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Tillotama Shome opened up about this aspect.
Tillotama said, “I am glad it happened when it did. Earlier, I was so caught up in my role as an actor that, over these 25 years, I gained experience in only one aspect of the craft. It was nice to now explore another crucial aspect. The way a film is produced can change its fate, how it looks and how audiences receive it. Nineteen people came together to produce the film. All of us believed in the filmmakers’ vision and protected it from being compromised by any other metric. It was really powerful to be part of such a cohort of producers and to learn so much from them.”
She continued, “As an actor, I realised that it is good to wear the producer’s hat as well. It helps you understand the reality of the problems that arise on a set and allows you to become a part of the solution. Actors are often kept in the dark about the challenges being faced. As a result, they may feel there is no communication or that they are being treated badly for no reason. I think it is very important for actors to have some understanding of production, provided they are ready for it. Of course, it is not a compulsion.”
Tillotama Shome further stated, “We had six years to prepare for Baksho Bondi, so the kinship between us was already very strong. Being a producer on the set helped me understand the challenges and how I could contribute as an actor instead of getting in the way. I anyway feel a great sense of responsibility towards every project I do, whether I have a small role or a large one. As a producer, that sense of responsibility becomes even greater.”
When asked if the film is available on any OTT platform, she replied, “It’s not. It's winding up the festival run and now, the distribution conversation has begun. I am sure it’ll come (on streaming soon).”
One hopes for that as often several films disappear once they are done with their theatrical and festival run. One such film of Tillotama Shome is Raahgir – The Wayfarers, co-starring Adil Hussain and Neeraj Kabi. It was premiered in Jio MAMI Film Festival 2019 and is yet to premiere on any streaming giant.
Tillotama Shome sighed, “That’s been my life. These are the stories that sum up 25 years of my acting journey! I am still here and I feel that these stories will come out one day. It’s heartbreaking, but we still have to keep telling stories. So, we’ll keep trying. Just because one film didn’t come out doesn’t mean all of them will not come out. So many of my indie films have come out as well. Let’s hope for the best.”
Interestingly, in these 25 years, Tillotama Shome has worked in films of different genres, except one – horror. Tillotama Shome smiled over this observation and said, “You’re right. I have not done a horror film. I actually did a cameo though in one such film (Aatma; 2013). But I am very excited that I am going to do a horror film soon! I am prepping for it at present and I am going to start shooting for it soon.”
More Pages: Monsoon Wedding Box Office Collection , Monsoon Wedding Movie Review
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