Sargun Mehta, an actor-producer, has been praised for not following the crowd and making unconventional choices. She shares that her choices, including taking up production, come with their own set of challenges as she revels in the box office success of her recent release Babe Bhangra Paunde Ne.
As a woman working in an industry dominated by men, you are sometimes taken for granted. But I try to look at it positively. I knew a little more when they thought I didn’t know anything and that they were taking me for a ride. I had done my homework and thus took them by surprise. That is how I win. Everything you consider to be your weak point should, in my opinion, be turned around to become your strength. “You can take them for a ride when they take you lightly,” she says.
Mehta is quick to point out that the same is true for men. “They may face challenges along the way in different ways.” “We live in a world where people cannot see you win,” explains the producer of the TV shows Swaran Ghar and Udaariyaan.
When asked what sets her apart from other producers, Mehta says, “Producers who are not only investing money but are also creatively involved add a lot more to the film.” They are intimately familiar with the project and recognise that more resources are required here. For them, the end result is more important than the money. Even when it comes to film promotion, they know what to do and how to do it best. As a result, I prefer to produce my own films.”
Being new in a business with a lot of money at stake puts a lot of pressure on you. In an ideal world, one would seek advice from others, but Mehta does not. “When people,” she says,
Being new in a business with a lot of money at stake puts a lot of pressure on you. In an ideal world, one would seek advice from others, but Mehta does not. “When people advise me, I keep my ears shut,” she says. It may sound terrible, but it is true. My approach to advice is very different. I am essentially someone who has learned on the job. While working as an actor, I kept asking questions. I’ve been jotting down my ideas about how I want to do it for the last 5 years. Now, when I watch my own film and wonder what went wrong or what I could have done better, I ask the questions.
I don’t like freely given advice. It leads nowhere. I suppose everyone functions differently, and for me, asking for techniques to improve is what works, but that’s about it.”
She goes on to say that taking advice from people who aren’t even in the film makes no sense to her. “They don’t even know what I want from the film, so how can they decide what to do about it?”