Tahira Kashyap has carved a niche for herself as a write and storyteller however the path has been filled with apprehensions. Tahira, have portrayed women in the most quintessential yet hilarious manner in her authored works The 12 Commandments of Being A Woman and The 7 Sins of Being A Mother, said she gravitated towards stories since childhood.
Speaking the PTI, the filmmaker mentioned, “I’m a compulsive storyteller. It was a part of my growing up process. All that I used to do as a kid was tell stories. I’ve loved telling stories, be it whatever medium — theatre, radio, podcasts, novels, short films and now feature. I have inherently been a storyteller all my life and I absolutely love it.”
However it took the author some time to realize that her ability to be a professional storyteller until she juggled through multiple jobs. “Everyone has their journey. We do four-five things, and then we realise that this is what I want to do. There is a huge section of people who know what they want to do ever since they are young. But I was lost for most of my life. I picked various jobs — in the corporate sector, teaching, radio and events — and after a point I realised whenever I was involved with a creative job or storytelling, I would really get excited about it.”
Tahira spoke about her first ever short film Toffee launched in 2017. “I borrowed money from my husband to make my first short film, about which I was very conscious. I knew this is what I wanted to be but I needed a sort of push. I’m very grateful for those little openings. But after a point, you are on your own,” she said.
“Once I made the film I was really sceptical, but to my surprise it got picked up at various festivals and by Eros, so I got to return the entire money to my initial producer. I was debt free. That was my big moment of realisation. Now, there is a lot of acceptance towards myself,” she said.
The 39-year-old filmmaker mentioned that she was someone who was filled with self-doubt, however she received much validation from people outside her inner circle. “Women always need reassurance. I don’t know why… but it’s constantly there. Maybe it’s the conditioning or maybe we are vocal about it. Maybe men also have self-doubt but are not vocal because there is a false macho idea that they can’t cry and tell.”
“I have met so many men who also have self-doubt but they don’t express… I used to beat myself down. But when I got validation from those who were not invested in me or were outside my relationships, that’s when I knew I have it in me and I need to keep working towards it,” she adds.
With the passage of time the filmmaker has started to forgive which interestingly has helped her in unfurling out her funny side. “Humour is a very important part of my personality. Ironically, there was something I pretended to be for a long time because I wanted the world to take me seriously. I felt women who laugh loudly are not taken seriously.
“Then something hit me right before I turned 30. You become forgiving towards yourself. I felt I have a funny bone and I love humour. Even if I’m writing something serious, it will automatically come from a place of humour or fun or light-heartedness.”
She has grown as an individual and feels more liberated compared to the time when she was in her 20s. “I see my female characters and they are more liberated than what I was as a 20 year old. One needs to work on themselves and be forgiving towards themselves. It does have a role to play in portrayal of your character.”
Her next is Sharmaji Ki Beti, for which Tahira is “excited, nervous and anxious”.
