Actress Shruti Das is playing Goddess Kali
in one of the special shows which will be aired on Mahalaya. She is
excited about the show ‘Debi Doshomohabidya’, which will feature some of
the leading artists in different avatars of the Goddess while actress
Rituparna Sengupta is playing Mahishasuramardini. In an exclusive chat
with ETimes TV, the actress, who left the audience mesmerised with her
performance in debut show ‘Trinayani’, shared her experience.
“I feel blessed to play Goddess Kali in Debi Doshomohabidya. I am
just a human being….and it’s a huge privilege to play an avatar of the
Goddess, the supreme power,” says the actress. This is the third time
Shruti is a part of a Mahalaya special show. She shared how every
experience was different from the other.
“All three experiences have been different. First year, I played Poush Kali and Rotonti Kali. Last year, it was more like a dance performance and I represented the Goddess through my act. This year, in ‘Debi Doshomohabidya’, there are dance sequences, dialogues, and ample opportunities to act. The shooting was a great learning experience where I came to know many unknown facts about the Goddess; thanks to our director Soubhik and the entire team. He is so young, talented, and has done a remarkable job as a director, she adds.”
It took hours to complete Shruti’s make-up and more than a day for the actress to remove the paint. She shared a beautiful story, of how her mom, who is also an ardent devotee of the Goddess, touched her feet with the belief that she symbolises the Goddess.
“I don’t share this with people because they might think it is weird because a mother is touching her daughter’s feet but it’s true. When I got back home and asked Maa to help me remove the make-up, she first touched my feet and then asked me to pass on the bottle of oil to remove the paint. It did feel weird because she is my mother but I didn’t want to hurt her beliefs. We need to understand her perspective… her beliefs that whether she is considering me as her child or a part of the Goddess,” she says.
Having said that, Shruti also explained how people might judge her because of this. “In my past experience, I have seen people making judgemental comments. Once, during an interview, I honestly said that I address Maa as tui instead of tumi. And people started criticising me. They need to understand that in our country, there is a tradition where children address their moms as tui. It isn't disrespectful. I never wanted to disrespect her. It is just that referring to her as tui is an old habit. She is my mother, my life revolves around my parents and they are the strength. So, I don’t share the incident of Maa touching my feet based on her belief much,” she shared hinting at the incidents of online trolling.
When asked about her Mahalaya, the actress shared that it starts with the fragrance of incense sticks and the sound of conch shell played by her mom. “My Mahalaya starts with the fragrance of incense sticks and the sound of conch shell played by her mom. Then, I used to listen to Chandi Patth on the radio and watch Mahalaya special shows on TV. But in childhood, there was yet another thing. I had a mischievous friend named Aranyak who used to blast firecrackers right outside our house at dawn. I miss those days,” she laughed while sharing.
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