Shreya Chaudhry is basking in the appreciation coming her way for her performance in Prime Video’s Bandish Bandits Season 2. Shreya talked to us about the show, her character’s journey, her equation with the co-actors and her short film with Imtiaz Ali.

Can you describe the moment when you returned to the sets of Bandish Bandits Season 2 as Tamanna Sharma?

Shreya Chaudhry: It was an exciting day for me because when I read the script of Bandish Bandits Season 2, I saw the arc and journey of Tamanna. I was ready to dig my teeth into it because the character had become more layered in Season 2. There was a sense of maturity and empathy in Tamanna; at the same time, she was not a perfect human being. She’s flawed and vulnerable in this season. I was very excited to let all that play out. I was also a little nervous because there had been a gap and Tamanna is a slightly tricky character too. But Anand Tiwari (director), Amritpal Bindra (producer) and Hazel Paul (costume designer) were a huge support system for me.

My first day of the shoot was the scene from the first episode when we sang Khamakha in Ayaan’s (Rohan Gurbaxani) house. I was like, ‘Oh my God, today I’m singing too? I have to play the keyboard too?’ Then Hazel gave me costumes that were very different from what Tamanna wore in Season 1. It sounds very frivolous but when I wore those clothes I was like, ‘Okay, she’s accepted this change.’ So, something changed in me at that moment and I just felt like Tamanna who had dropped her stardom and went to music school. It turned out to be one of the most fun days on set.

Did playing a character from a popular show again after a gap of a few years put any pressure on you?

Shreya Chaudhry: A lot of thoughts come to your mind. I don’t think there was a sense of caution as such. I remember Anand calling me on day one and telling me, ‘It’s time to work bloody hard because as fun as this journey is going to be, it’s not going to be easy.’ We workshopped heavily. We tried every possible tool and aid to ease this process for ourselves before we reached the set.

The writers had etched out Tamanna’s character arc beautifully. So, more than caution or worry because of the first season’s success, I was excited that people would see me in a new light, given the image they had because of how the show ended. She had given a hint of the new path she was starting on. It’s a transformation of a character that has been loved, and now people are going to see her in a new light. I was hopeful that they would accept her in her new form.

What went into creating the chemistry between you and Ritwik Bhowmik?

Shreya Chaudhry: Ritwik and I would have conversations about love and relationships with Anand before every scene. Anand was like a love guru. Love is not always vanilla. It’s not only about loving somebody and sacrifices. Love can be dirty, love can be grey. You can love somebody but you can sometimes say something without meaning it. That doesn’t mean you’re a bad human being or you don’t love the person.

Chemistry, if you truly break it down, is volatile atoms that are seeking stability. It sounds like a textbook answer but that’s exactly how we define chemistry between two actors. In Season 2, the chemistry between Tamanna and Radhe (Ritwik) is more volatile. That was something new for us to discover.

People have been saying lovely things about our jugalbandi sequence, the Ghar Aa Mahi song. We held each other’s hands through it. Ritwik is one of my dearest friends. Our chemistry comes into play because we trust each other.

What about Bandish Bandits do you think has resonated with the audience?

Shreya Chaudhry: I think the characters. They are so real and relatable. You know someone like Mahi (Paresh Pahuja), who is probably a little bitter about certain concepts and ideologies but can get over his opinions. You know someone like Tamanna who loves with all her heart but feels maybe this love is not right for her and Radhe and they need to choose music over love. You know someone like Radhe who is so disciplined in his music and riyaz is his life. I think the relatability of the characters played by Sheeba Chadha, Divya Dutta and Atul Kulkarni also connected with the audience.

Then all this is beautifully intertwined with something that is India’s culture — classical music and the gharanas. In Season 2, there are newer genres, like I got to perform a semi-operatic song. Anand, as a director, poured his heart into the concept of love and art.

You have interesting scenes with Divya Dutta who plays a music teacher. What was your equation with her during the making of the show?

Shreya Chaudhry: I was so happy that finally Tamanna was getting her Panditji, in a way. Initially I wanted to be fully prepared with my lines before Divya ma’am would come. I’d ask an assistant director or my make-up and hair person to do the lines with me. I think she noticed that and called me. She had a beautiful chat with me and we broke the ice. And since that day, Divya ma’am has become my friend.

She would give me cues even when she was not on camera. She would perform the entire scene for me. She would slip in a few tips here and there without making me feel that I needed a tip. I’m not kidding, she started becoming my Nandini in reality.

The ‘notations scene’ between you both has been talked about too.

Shreya Chaudhry: That particular scene is very dear to me. I become a little childlike before a person if I’m enamoured of their knowledge. So, I’m a little childlike with all of my teachers, irrespective of their age.

And that became an interesting peg for me because Tamanna is a very confident, assured girl. She’s also a great performer and has a strong aura. But the minute she is with Nandini, she becomes a little childlike. Like the way she just runs to Nandini, excited, and says, ‘Ma’am, I’ve understood what you were…’ I really felt childlike at that moment because of that excitement.

I remember reading it and saying, ‘This is beautiful’. And then just hearing Divya ma’am say in her magical way, ‘Don’t think from your heart. Don’t think from your brain. Just feel it.’ I didn’t have to act in that scene. I was just listening and responding to Divya ma’am. There were not too many takes or cuts in that scene either.

What have been your takeaways from working on Bandish Bandits over two seasons?

Shreya Chaudhry: I have taken a lot from Tamanna, all her learnings from Nandini. Also, what Anand and Amrit speak about art in Season 2 was a huge realization for me. Something did shift in me. Some of us actors were lucky enough to workshop with Naseer (Naseeruddin Shah) sir right after Season 1. Spending time with him, speaking to him about what it really means to you individually to be an artist, I think that has been one of the biggest takeaways. I can say with confidence that I enjoyed playing Tamanna Sharma in Season 2. I am exactly where I’m meant to be. I feel it’s the beginning of a very beautiful journey for me.

You did the short film, The Other Way, with Imtiaz Ali. Tell us about it...

Shreya Chaudhry: Watching Imtiaz Ali’s movies is one of the reasons why I wanted to become an actor. His take on art and love is so different from what we see in life. He has a voice of his own. I set out with a dream to become an actor and then I was working with one of my dream directors, Imtiaz Ali. It definitely made me realise that I am meant to become an actor.

It was very early in my career when I got a chance to be directed by Imtiaz sir. I’ll never forget the time I spent workshopping with him because he has a unique way of explaining a scene to you. Like his other female characters, the character I played was very layered. You have to be very intelligent to create the art he does. He doesn’t sit at the monitor. At least for our short film, he stood by the camera and watched us perform. Then he would talk to us about life. We would discuss a scene while walking to the car. I imbibed a lot by just being around him in that atmosphere.