Bollywood actor Fatima Sana Sheikh’s portrayal of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the film Sam Bahadur has been garnering attention and praise since its release on December 1, 2023. As the film now finds its way onto the streaming platform Zee5 Global after a successful run in cinemas, Fatima reflects on her journey embodying the iconic leader and shares insights into her experience during the making of the film.
In a recent conversation with City Times, Fatima opened up about her approach to the role and the expectations she had from the film. The 32-year-old, who made her big screen debut as a child artist in Chachi 420, emphasised her focus on delivering her best performance rather than setting specific expectations. “As an actor, I try not to have any expectations because I try to give my all and then it’s in the hands of the audience,” she said, expressing her gratitude for the positive reception of the film. “And you really hope that they connect with the character as much as you have connected and they see the honesty in your portrayal.”
Delving into her preparation for portraying Indira Gandhi, Fatima highlighted the guidance and clarity provided by director Meghna Gulzar. Despite initial apprehensions, Fatima trusted Meghna’s vision and found the opportunity to explore a character she might not have considered otherwise. “Meghna was very clear of what she wanted, how much she wanted, how much she didn’t want, even the pitch of the voice, if it’s high or low,” Fatima shared, highlighting the meticulous approach taken to embody the character authentically.
To prepare for the role, Fatima immersed herself in research, studying archival footage and delving into Indira Gandhi’s life and political journey. She also underwent physical transformations to accurately portray the aging process, but she found the emotional preparation equally important. “It was more about Indira Gandhi and Sam Manekshaw’s relationship,” Fatima explained, underscoring the depth of character exploration facilitated by Meghna’s direction.
Reflecting on her portrayal, Fatima shared her admiration for Indira Gandhi’s vulnerability and softer demeanour, which challenged her preconceived notions of strength in women. “It’s inspiring when you read stories about people who’ve done so much, achieved so much, good or bad, to take the good of them and then leave the bad behind,” she remarked, acknowledging the impact of embodying such a formidable figure.
Despite the weighty subject matter of the film, Fatima recalled moments of camaraderie and joy on set, particularly praising her co-star Vicky Kaushal’s immersive approach to his role as Sam Manekshaw. “When he would come on set, it was like Sam Bahadur coming on set,” she fondly reminisced, highlighting the inspiration she drew from his dedication.
Looking ahead, Fatima shared insights into her upcoming projects, including a show whose details she couldn’t disclose yet and films such as Ul Jalool Ishq (with Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Verma, produced by Manish Malhotra) and Metro In Dino with Anurag Basu. Expressing her excitement to work with esteemed directors and collaborators, she said, “He (Anurag) is my favourite director and I’m very happy to be on set with him again.”
Fatima reflected on her aspirations for the future, expressing a desire to be remembered for her contributions as an actor. “I just want to do good work so that when I die, people remember me through my work,” she said, highlighting her dedication to leaving a positive legacy through her craft. “When people go away, everything is forgotten and as actors we have everything captured on footage, so I would like to be remembered as a good actor, as somebody who has contributed something through the roles or the projects that I have chosen, made some sort of a change, inspired some people and done some good in life.”