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Sai Tamhankar on Typecasting: The "Stark Silver Lining" of Success

Actress Sai Tamhankar has spoken about the pervasive challenge of typecasting in the Hindi film industry, noting it often originates from an actor's own successful and admired performances. She explains that while casting directors "play it safe" by offering similar roles, the hardest part for an actor is turning down work to avoid being pigeonholed. Tamhankar, who has done this in the past, admits it remains a difficult layer of the profession. She remains optimistic, however, believing this industry trend is slowly changing.

Key Points: Sai Tamhankar Opens Up on Typecasting Challenges in Bollywood

  • Typecasting stems from successful roles
  • Saying no to similar work is toughest
  • Industry plays safe after a hit
  • Optimistic about industry change
2 min read

Sai Tamhankar: There's a stark silver lining of typecast

Actress Sai Tamhankar discusses the double-edged sword of typecasting, calling it a "stark silver lining" that emerges from successful performances.

"Yes, there's a stark silver lining of typecast. - Sai Tamhankar"

Mumbai, April 23

Actress Sai Tamhankar, who is currently seen on the show "Matka King", has spoken about how, while typecasting remains a huge challenge in the Hindi film industry, it often stems from success itself, where memorable performances lead to repeated offers of similar roles.

Sai, who has showcased her talent in diverse projects such as Love Sonia, Bhakshak, Agni, Ground Zero, Navarasa and Dabba Cartel, to name a few, said that turning down work to avoid being pigeon-holed into an image is one of the toughest parts of being an actor.

Asked how she navigates being typecast and have there been moments where she had to say no to avoid being boxed into a certain image, Sai told IANS: "Yes, there's a stark silver lining of typecast."

"The thing is, once you do something which is a hit or admired by people, your character is a hit, admired by people, probably the people who cast you again or ask you again for the same thing or same kind of thing, they are probably playing it safe and rightfully so."

However, she thinks for an actor, it is very tough to keep saying no to work.

"The only way to escape or to avoid being typecast is saying no to similar work. And that is the toughest part of an actor's job. Especially for me, it's very tough for me to say no to work," said Sai, who made her first screen appearance in 2003 with a minor role in Tuzyavina.

She added: "But yes, I have done this in the past. I am slightly more seasoned when it comes to handling or fearing being typecast. But yeah, the layer still exists and I feel sad it should not exist. But a lot of things are changing. I think this too shall change. Let's be optimistic here."

Talking about her latest project Matka King, the show also stars Vijay Varma and Kritika Kamra. It tells the story of Mumbai in the 1960s, where an enterprising cotton trader who craves legitimacy and respect, starts a new gambling game dubbed 'Matka'.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

V
Vikram M
This is a classic Mumbai film industry problem. Not just for actresses, but for many character actors too. You do one good comic role, you get 10 more offers for the same. The audience also shares some blame - we celebrate the 'image' too much sometimes.
R
Rohit P
Matka King is fantastic! Her role is so different from anything she's done before. It proves her point - when you break the mould, magic happens. More producers need to take these creative risks instead of playing safe with typecast actors.
A
Ananya R
While I appreciate her honesty, I feel the industry is changing. Look at the OTT space - actors like her are getting so many diverse opportunities now. Theatrical films might still be stuck in formulas, but digital is breaking barriers. The future is bright!
D
David E
Interesting perspective. It's a global issue in entertainment, but perhaps more pronounced in a star-driven system like Bollywood. The "safe bet" mentality limits artistic growth. Kudos to actors who push back against it.
S
Siddharth J
True. But let's also be practical. For every established star, there are a hundred struggling actors. Saying 'no' is a luxury not everyone has. The system needs to change from the top - writers and directors need to write varied characters first.

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