The first thing that strikes you about Shweta Tripathi Sharma is her Everywoman-ness. And yet there is that sunshine-y quality about her — a full smile, twinkling eyes, the warmth with which she hugs you — that makes her stand apart. Shweta, 39, is “all of 5ft”, as she says herself, but she towers over most when it comes to her acting ability and her skill in making every character she plays much more than what it is on paper. Whether it is films (Masaan, Haraamkhor, Raat Akeli Hai, Cargo) or web series (Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein, Escaype Life, Kaalkoot), Shweta’s performance brightens every role.

Her calling card, of course, is the part of the pocket dynamite Golu Gupta in the superhit series Mirzapur. Shweta’s metamorphosis from a happy-go-lucky college girl to a badass, trigger-happy gangster is one of the highlights of the series.

Recently, the actor was in Calcutta for a private event. Over a long, freewheeling chat peppered with laughs and life lessons at ITC Royal Bengal, t2oS delved into Shweta’s world and her thoughts.

Even at the cost of starting this conversation flippantly, I have to ask that how do you just not age?!

There is little credit I can take for this. It definitely is genes. In fact, even in the choices that I make in life, my genes and upbringing play a major role. My dad was an IAS officer, mom was a teacher. They are both retired now. I come from a family where education and culture were the most important things. Everything else, even if it was necessary, was secondary. I feel very blessed to be born into this family.

Yes, I do make my own choices in life. But I feel I only seal the deal... before that, my choices have already been influenced by my upbringing. Woh seeds mere dimaag mein bachpan se hain. That is why I could move towards doing content like Laakhon Mein Ek, Haraamkhor and Masaan. These are the stories I want to tell.

But then again, of course, you feel good when you have a great vanity van... when you are sitting in a luxury car as opposed to a second-hand car, there is no denying that. But at the end of the day, one has to remember that one came in to do art, to tell stories. So I never want that the carrot of that luxury car gets so big that I forget that why did I start acting in the first place.

I am blessed to look younger. I accept that if I looked my age, things would have been different. There are younger actors who really love me and have told me: ‘We feel envious. How is this possible?!’ (Laughs)

You are also working at a time where the largely diverse and inclusive creative environment makes it relatively easier for you to make those choices. Would you agree?

I believe in something called purpose of intent and I feel that actors like Vijay Varma, Ali Fazal, (Vikrant) Massey, Jeetu (Jitendra Kumar), me included, all of us have blossomed in some way or the other keeping purpose of intent in mind. Having said that, it is also, as you said, the timing. The audience is more accepting now. There are more platforms and mediums where we can experiment. It is easier today to connect with a viewer... one can now shoot an entire film on a phone.

We are lucky that we are doing something that we really believe in. This was our dream and we are living our dream. Of course, there are tough times, but if you don’t face difficulties while living your dream, then what is the point of living it? You should be fighting for your dreams.

There are frustrating days but the idea is to use it as fuel to make a change, to make a bend. It is about working on those bends consistently. The change will happen some day. You and I have come this far because the women and men before us have fought for equality and justice. For generations, people have been taking the baton ahead.

For me, what defines happiness is being able to do a scene well. Of course, the pay cheque also makes me happy (smiles), but the greater happiness comes from a good scene.

I have heard people saying that I don’t fit the ‘heroine’ prototype. I don’t walk or sit or talk a certain way.... I haven’t had anything done to my lips or body in general. People think that why is she here? Maybe if I was on the other side, I would also feel the same. If you understand what people mean, these feelings are fair. But as long as you are growing and learning, it is fine. That is more important.

You have always come across as someone who savours the present, and I am not just talking about your work...

Yes. The cliche that the other name for present is gift because the present is a gift is absolutely true. Believing in intent of purpose as well as intent and purpose has got me to where I am. I love being on set, it makes me the happiest. As an actor, I get very consumed by the parts I play because my characters have always been very intense and the stakes are always very high in their lives. Since my time on screen is very intense and all-consuming, I want my personal life to be as ‘Disney’ as possible! (Laughs)

You said some people think you don’t fit the heroine prototype. You don’t fit the ‘gangster prototype’ too. But Golu Gupta in Mirzapur is a badass! Do you enjoy throwing a curveball at the viewer every now and then?

I definitely like to ask questions and I want to break stereotypes. I am just 5ft tall. But that is enough for me. Why am I told that I am not enough? I have never felt my height was a problem. Except for that one time at a party when Ed Sheeran had come and Vicky (Kaushal) was speaking to someone as tall as him. I wasn’t wearing heels that day and they were towering over me and I couldn’t hear even one word they were saying! I only kept going: ‘What? What?’ (Laughs)

My husband (Chaitnya Sharma aka SlowCheeta, a rapper and actor) is almost 6ft tall. Ali Fazal is 6ft tall. There is no problem. Why are we creating problems when there is no problem? We put this in people’s minds. Either you are too tall, too short, too dark or too fair. What is this fascination with physicality? I like to question that.

Why are we giving tags? That is because we are lazy. We don’t want to stretch our imagination. We want comfort. But I want to make people uncomfortable. With my stories, with my characters. I am okay if some are accepted and some are not. Many actors these days opt only for things that they feel will be palatable. I don’t want to do that.

That doesn’t mean it is only anger and loss which excites me. I did a comedy called Kanjoos Makkhichoos where I got to play off in comic scenes with actors like Kunal Kemmu and Piyush Mishra.

As an actor, I want to keep putting myself in different situations. Varied flavours of characters is what I am after. I would love to get more stories that spark conversations. That, for me, is very important. What am I making my audience feel when they are watching me? It can be a simple story also. It is not like I want to educate people all the time. Nobody wants to be preached to.

But I think it is important to be mindful about what we are consuming. What will be seen and consumed is what will be made. Then we can’t cry about why this movie is being made, why this story is being made. It is being made as you are watching it. If you are bothered, please don’t watch. The audience has a huge responsibility, which they don’t understand.

You have always come across as someone with a keen sense of social responsibility...

I try to. Even before Masaan came out, I refused to endorse fairness creams. Even if that is giving me a lot of money. I will not do fairness cream (ads). The world may not even know about it but that is okay. As a person, I want to sleep well at night, I want my conscience to be clear. But I am not preaching here, it is what I believe in. If something floats your boat, please go ahead and do it.

Sometimes, I have been offered parts in commercial films which I haven’t liked and I haven’t done them. But if those roles were a trampoline to achieve something more worthwhile, I would have perhaps done them. Do I drink aerated drinks? No. Will I do an aerated drinks ad? Yes.

Doesn’t that go against what we have discussed all this while? Would you be morally okay with that?

I will do it because of visibility. Because as an actor, if I want to make a movie, if I want money, if I am not commercially viable, that money will be useful. I don’t want to, at this age, ask people to do free work. People should be paid. People have families to run. And these are my choices.

I am mindful about the ads that I do, the content that I do. But visibility is important for every actor. The thing is that we are not God. We are not saying drink this, don’t drink that. I am still being careful by not doing fast food and fairness ads. But I cannot write off everything. If I have to give a development fund to a writer, I need the money. I have my eye on the greater good. Even within that, I will exercise some mindfulness. Like I recently shot a video for a soft drink brand. But I insisted that we show glass bottles in the video instead of the plastic ones.

As an audience, you have to use your discretion. Just because I love Ryan Gosling, I won’t buy everything that he is selling. The audience is so intelligent now. So let’s not blindly follow anybody. Whatever it is, ask questions. Asking questions is not disrespect. In fact, it’s better because then you understand what is happening and why that is happening.

You will see me practising sustainability to the extent that I can. What I am wearing today is something I have had for six years now. It is sustainable fabric and I believe in repeating my clothes. I do fly in a plane. I go in a car. It is not like we are living the purest life. I have turned vegetarian, though.

I want to start a series (of videos) called ‘How to save the world in 60 seconds’. But then again it will be something that will be inclusive. Without being gyaani, I am trying how to be more engaging in putting my thoughts across.

There are no superheroes coming to save the world. So, in whatever capacity, let’s do at least one thing we can do. It could be carrying your water bottle and tiffin from home. Let’s try and respect nature.

How important is social media for you?

I try and make social media enriching for me. Almost all the accounts that I follow are of designers, architects, poets, interior designers... because these are the things I like. I think there should definitely be a time check on social media usage. I also feel that too much use of the phone is leading to mind-numbing. I have phases when I pick up the phone and I don’t remember why I did so in the first place.

You are self-aware, you read a lot, you question, you have opinions. Even till a few years ago, an actor, especially a female actor, who had a lot of questions and a mind of her own was unwelcome on many sets. Has that changed now?

I am sure that problem is still there in pockets. But I have been lucky to work with very evolved people, right from directors to my writers to my co-actors. My life becomes easy because I don’t need to do anything. Ali (Fazal) will stand up for me if there is something wrong happening. Before that thought comes to my mind, these guys will literally be like: ‘Don’t you dare’. Vicky, Ali, Jeetu, Massey, Arjun Mathur, all of them are very good people. So I am protected like that. I know I am talking from a place of privilege.

But if you do something right, you will get resistance. When you educate yourself, when there is information, you enrich everyone else too. And if the other person is intelligent, then they will take you on the team. Because they know that the project will benefit and they will benefit professionally and personally with good people around. But if they are not able to understand that, then stay away. Because cleaning up the dirt is not your job. There will be some battles which will be dirtier than the others. You will question yourself and you will think that should I take the easy way out? But the easy way out is not fun. We have to do it.

With husband Chaitnya Sharma aka SlowCheeta

You and Cheeta seem to be such a strong, fulfilling unit. How do you prop each other up?

When we started dating, we would say a lot of sugar-coated things to each other because we didn’t want to hurt the other person’s feelings. Then one day, he told me: ‘Shweta, if we have to be together, we have to be honest. That doesn’t mean being rude. So let’s not sugar-coat things.’

Many a times, being a Cancerian, I would tend to keep things within me and not express myself. Once, before marriage, something was bothering me and I wasn’t telling him. He was out partying with his friends but he left that and came home and said he wouldn’t move till I told him what was bothering me. What I loved was after we had the conversation, he went back to party. And I appreciate that. He didn’t ditch his friends and he was also there for me.

He is five years younger than me but he is so mature. We have this understanding that to protect each other is very important but also to encourage each other. My father would always say that keep your critics close. Because there are a lot of people to say ‘wow’, but very few who will criticise with the intent of wanting to see you do better.

Also, it is important to always appreciate your partner. Cheeta and I say ‘thank you’ to each other all the time. We acknowledge what the other is doing for us. Too many couples take each other for granted. We don’t.

I also started paying attention to my physical fitness because of him. He told me I would feel better if I worked out and when your partner is so driven, you automatically tend to imbibe that. I probably haven’t reached that level of discipline that he has but I am definitely a better version of myself now. As partners, it is important to influence each other in the right way.

You are a voracious reader. Which recent book has left a lasting impact on you?

I really want everybody to read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and More Days at The Morisaki Bookshop (both by Satoshi Yagisawa). They are about a bookstore in Tokyo. Such simple and beautiful storytelling. I am a very emotional person and these books really touched me. I am late to the party but I am currently reading Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy. I am reading them slowly because I really want to savour them... I don’t want them to end!

Is there a plan to work in Bangla anytime soon?

I definitely want to. I definitely want to play a Bengali character as well. A lot of people say that I look Bengali. I love the language.