Mirzapur actor Shweta Tripathi: I wanted to become a heroine with a yellow suit and a dupatta

Actor Shweta Tripathi Sharma says she wanted to be a conventional big-screen heroine who would dress up in a yellow salwar suit and run across a farm, until she became a part of acclaimed films such as Masaan, Haraamkhor, and the popular web series Mirzapur.

Shweta said she found "joy" in doing projects that gave her an opportunity to investigate humanity through different characters and stories.

Before she tasted nationwide fame as Gajagamini 'Golu' Gupta, her Mirzapur character, the 38-year-old had also made a name for herself with acting credits in Haraamkhor, The Trip, and Suite Life of Karan and Kabir.

"It is important to remember why you wanted to act... I wanted to become a heroine wearing a yellow suit and dupatta in a farm because I didn’t know that this kind of world (Mirzapur) exists, I was interested in acting. Thankfully, when Masaan or Haraamkhor happened to me, I realised that there’s a joy in doing these kinds of films,” Shweta told PTI in an interview here.

“When I did those films, I realised this is what I want to do, I want to do cinema that tells stories where the perspective and heart (of a film) is emotions... Investigating humanity through characters and stories, and getting to know and understanding their pain, loss and happiness, but we don’t talk about all these emotions (often)," she added.

The drama and getting into the skin of her character is a major draw for her.

"You’ll have to break stereotypes and it is not easy because people love to put actors in boxes as we don’t want to imagine (different things). What’s amazing is the casting of Rasika (Dugal) for the role of Beena or Divyenndu as Munna, so this casting is a testament that as actors we should keep trying (to do different things),” she said.

"As actors, you have to keep at it no matter what, there are days when you are frustrated and crying, and you feel, ‘When will I get that work that I want to do’. But I realised that this journey is long and projects will be coming in, what we have to do is keep trying (to do different things)" she added.

Mirzapur, directed by Gurmmeet Singh, revolves around gang wars and illegal weapon cartels in the backyards of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment, the third season of the series will stream on Prime Video from Friday.

Over the two seasons of the gangster drama, Shweta's Golu has undergone a major arc shift from an intelligent college student, who advocates non-violence, to a woman seeking to avenge the murder of her loved ones.

“I haven’t seen a character like this before and this has nothing to do with gender. But someone’s graph is such because of the situation and events that have happened in her life. Her dreams are snatched away, she wanted to get into a different direction but now it is survival of the fittest,” she said.

"So, that purpose or dream of life... No matter how much you plan, life can throw surprises and bombs at you and (it's about) how you respond to that. For me, as an actor, this journey has been satisfying,” she added.

Pankaj Tripathi, Rasika Dugal, Vijay Varma, Harshita Shekhar Gaur, Amit Sial, Priyanshu Painyuli, Sheeba Chaddha, Manu Rishi Chadha, and Rajesh Tailang also round out the cast of Mirzapur.