In Bakaiti season 1, Sheeba Chaddha’s character, a middle-class mother had an endearing journey where she faced many hurdles in her little attempts to build a business. In the journey, she also learned of a few ‘shortcomings’ by societal standards. In season 2, which premiered on September 25, Sheeba tells me, we can see newer elements of her character. “This time, there are more people in the house. So there will be more talking and more arguments, which is a big development. I think, people will enjoy watching this,” she adds.
In the past decade or so, Sheeba has carved a niche for herself, with her earnest portrayals of vulnerable, sensitive middle-class women in films like Badhaai Do, Dum Lagaa Ke Haisha and many more. Do these roles, of characters from grounded backdrops, need any particular prep? Sheeba surprises us as she asserts that she doesn’t like to indulge in too much homework. She explains, “If it's written clearly in a script, there is not much confusion. Since these characters and stories are from a familiar zone, as actors we instantly feel a connection. We feel we know this world. I don't think there is anything there to warrant a particular mindset before we go on set.”
A recent accomplishment for Sheeba includes the success of Mirzapur: The Movie, the film spinoff of the popular OTT show Mirzapur which has done wonders at the box office. These are familiar characters for the audience, which probably added to the appeal. And while 2026 has been overwhelming in terms of successful franchise films when compared to original films, Sheeba doesn’t sound too worried about the potential for original content in the near future. She says, “I think it is such a time, that whatever works, a few more like this will be made. And if they don't work, this trend will end too. I don't think Mirzapur’s success should have an impact on other things. Also, not every one of them will be a success. There is always a place for a good story; I don't think that really goes away. If there is a good story, made well, it will have its own place.”
Another of Sheeba’s upcoming projects is Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, where she will be seen in the role of Manthara. The recently-released trailer has already drawn strong reactions, especially when compared to the previous portrayals of these iconic mythological figures. Does the comparison make her nervous, we ask. Sheeba responds, “I don't take that much pressure about it. This is a character like any other. I just like to go on the set and try to do my work with as much honesty. I mean, what should I think about it? What will I do with that information of others’ expectations? ‘Just do your work, man,’ — that's what I understand.” Sheebe also praises her director Nitesh Tiwari, adding, “He is quite interested in that world, and he is very clear what he wants — how the character should look and sound like. It was very nice working with him.”
Although she began her film career in the late 90s with brief appearances in films like Dil Se and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, it took another 17 years for the actor to finally have a feeling of breaking through — with the 2015 film Dum Lagaa Ke Haisha. The actor adds, “The space that this character had and that kind of writing which had begun at that time really made an impact. And soon, more such films started coming where there was a lot of nuance to the characters that actors like me were offered. Before that, there were Talaash and Luck By Chance — but they were few and far between. So maybe, DLKH was quite a turning point for me.”
In the 2000s however, amidst a dearth of significant film work, Sheeba was also active in Hindi television. Looking back at that phase in her life, Sheeba reflects, “I never liked the daily soap format from the beginning — but if you wanted to do television at that time, that was the only choice you had. Nothing else was happening, really. One had to do that work to pay the rent.” Further talking about her TV days, Sheeba describes it as a ‘difficult world,’ adding, “The way they were written, I didn’t enjoy them personally. It had its own place, but I don’t think daily soap did good for Television. After its arrival, TV became quite diluted as a medium. Prior to that, I had done good work in TV. The writing was such that you had to protect yourself and not get deeply invested in it. You had to understand that this is the limit of it. It was a difficult world for me.”