Chhaya Kadam shocked by Laapataa Ladies not being on Oscars shortlist: 'Had a lot of expectations' | Exclusive

Chhaya Kadam

Actor Chhaya Kadam, who has been in the limelight this year with three acclaimed movies to her credit such as Madgaon Express, Laapataa Ladies, and All We Imagine as Light, expresses shock over the Kiran Rao directorial not being shortlisted for the Oscars. She speaks exclusively to Mid-day about having an eventful 2024, trip to the Cannes Film Festival, working with prolific women filmmakers, and more.

Chhaya Kadam on Laapataa Ladies not being shortlisted for the Oscars

Chhaya, who played Manju Mai in the film says, "I had a lot of expectations. I was a little shocked today. But, it's ok. We keep trying. With more strength, we move ahead."

Reflecting on her achievements this year with an incredible run at the movies, she states, "I feel very good. We have been working for so many years. As I said, this year was shocking for me but I was also getting surprises."

Chhaya Kadam on her trip to Cannes

Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light won the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Chhaya, who wore her mother's saree and nose ring on the red carpet, recalls it was a different experience for her as an artist and as a person. She explains, "The happiness was on a different level. As an artist, I was happy that our film was selected and praised by stalwarts from the film industry. It was a big thing for me. But as Chhaya Kadam, to me, it was an experience of a lifetime since I travelled overseas for the first time by myself. To go out of India, for our cinema, it was a big thing. It gives you a lot of confidence. I was getting a lot of praise from people which made me emotional. But praise also means more responsibility. There were a lot of mixed emotions this year."

Chhaya Kadam on working with women directors

Two out of her three films had women as directors. Chhaya asserts that she doesn't feel any difference because as women we've always said that we're not less than anyone. She elaborates, "That being said, we do get to discuss a lot of things openly. A lot of times women are taken for granted. Both the film sets had a lot of women in every department. Our work was enough to show that, ‘Hum kisi se kam nahi'. I love it when women pave the way. It gives us a lot of energy. I have always maintained that we might bear the brunt, but for those entering the field after us, we must aim to make the path smoother and more accessible."

Chhaya Kadam on sharing screen space with youngsters

When asked to share a piece of advice for the youngsters, Chhaya quips that they don't need it. "When I work with the new artists, I feel that they know so much. They act so well. They read a lot. They speak different languages. I get to learn a lot from them," she concludes.