Actress Meera Chopra believes in the power of cinema and wants to be a part of socially relevant, thought-provoking films. ZEE5’s Safed, where she plays a widow who falls in love with a transgender (played by Abhay Verma), is one such project. Meera talks about the challenges of playing this role, her plans, projects and wedding preparations.

Is it true that you said yes to doing Safed after your first interaction with director Sandeep Singh?

Meera Chopra: Yeah. He called me to his house on a Sunday. He said, ‘Just wear a sari and come.’ He wanted to see me in that look. When I went to his house, he gave me the script and said he wanted me to do this film. He asked me to call him immediately after reading the script and let him know if I would do it or not. I said, cool.

After reading the script, I couldn’t call him at once because it just shocked me on various levels — the writing, the story, the concept of the film itself. After reading, you just feel like you want to be alone for a while. I called him the next morning and said I wanted to do the film. There was no confusion about that. The moment I read it, I wanted to be a part of it.

What about the story or your character in Safed appealed to you?

Meera Chopra: The whole concept of a widow falling in love with a eunuch. I had not even heard of such a concept. We see so many love stories, but a widow and a eunuch? Somebody was giving a platform to both the communities whom we don’t even consider a part of our lives. They both are so diminished. They are completely ignored. So, giving a platform to feel that they can live, they can love, they can have a family life and they can live as normally as we can, that thought itself was too big for me.

Who is Kaali, the character you play in Safed? What was challenging about playing this character?

Meera Chopra: She’s a very young widow. Kaali is in her late 20s. Her husband died within a few days of their marriage. I didn’t know widows still existed like this but unfortunately they do. When their husbands die, their families send them away to ‘widhwa ashram’ (a home for widows) for the rest of their lives. They hold no responsibility at all.

These are young girls who are made to feel that they can’t live a normal life anymore. And the more shocking part is that they accept it. They don’t fight it. So, for me, the fight with myself was how do I show the pain of this character? Because I don’t know anybody like that in my real life. And that was my inner conflict – how do these girls accept to live like this? What do we need to do? Do we need to educate their parents or do we need to educate them to make them understand that there’s more to life than just one husband?

That was more challenging for me — to show the pain of such a girl in a very responsible way because they are so non-exposed to the world yet. I mean, they are still living in this small bubble where they are made to feel that life is over. And they are, I won’t say happy, but content with how they are living.

What are your expectations from Safed’s release for yourself and the film?

Meera Chopra: As an actor, of course, I would want appreciation. But honestly, I think I have got enough appreciation. People know that I am a good actor but after this film I want more meaningful roles to come to me. Appreciation is good but the more work you do, the more you can talk about relevant topics.

After Safed, I want to spearhead more socially relevant cinema because very few people are doing that right now. We are living in an age of masala, big commercial films. Only those things are working. I would want more people to make socially relevant cinema because I honestly feel that cinema is a soft power and when we say something through cinema, we are at least heard. That’s one thing I would want in my career.

When you talk about the film, two things that I want are — one, educate girls in smaller towns and villages because they live the way they have been told by their parents, and that’s not the right way to live.

Second, I think the next time we are on the road and a transgender person knocks on our window, I would want people to just pull down their window and ask them their name. Because respect and acceptance are all they are asking for, nothing more. They are born in a certain way, which is unfortunate. But because they are born in a certain way doesn’t mean we don’t give them any right to live respectfully. I would want Safed to bring about these two changes.

Did doing an acclaimed film like Section 375 change things for you, or is it still a struggle for you to get the roles you would like to play?

Meera Chopra: After watching Section 375, people started taking me more seriously as an actor, but did it change in a way that I started getting more roles? No, it didn’t. The struggle started again after Section 375. I have hardly done four projects after that film. And I think the struggle never gets over, honestly. After every film, there’s a new struggle to look for a film that you would want to do. I would want that struggle to get over, but I am okay fighting [chuckles].

I’m ready to fight because the movies I want to do are very scarce. I am not okay doing the stereotypical roles. So, when you shut yourself out from such a big commercial market, then what are you really left with? I am okay with that slow pace but want to keep doing things that I would feel happy about.

Do you talk about your films with your cousin sisters and actresses Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Parineeti Chopra?

Meera Chopra: I don’t talk about my films with anybody, not even my parents. I am fiercely independent when it comes to my career and my private and personal life. I don’t even share my things with my friends. Advice, I don’t believe in. I only believe in what my heart tells me to do. I am a very independent girl.

What are your upcoming projects? What are you looking forward to in 2024?

Meera Chopra: My next two projects are social dramas. One is about an asexual girl and her troubles in life. The other one is a courtroom drama. Both are socially relevant films. The next thing I want to do is sign something light-hearted. And I think I’m going to start my struggle again to look for something light-hearted [chuckles].

You’re going to start a new chapter in your personal life in 2024. How are the wedding preparations going on?

Meera Chopra: Of course, marriage is something that every girl looks forward to. I think it brings calmness and stability to you. And yeah, I think this year will bring that stability to my life. I am looking forward to it. My parents have already started the preparations while I’m busy promoting Safed. Once I am done with promotions, I will start participating too.