Sheeba Chaddha on Bakaiti 2 and Life Beyond Mother Roles

Sheeba Chaddha is back in the crowded family world of Bakaiti Season 2, and she is just as interested in the roles she has not yet played.

For Hindi web-series fans, Chaddha’s comments land at a moment when streaming platforms are slowly widening the kind of women they put at the centre of a story. Bakaiti Season 2 is a comfortable family comedy, but the interview points to a larger shift.

A familiar house, a more active character

In the new season, now streaming on ZEE5, Chaddha reprises her role alongside Rajesh Tailang. She describes her character as “more proactive” this time, and the on-screen house as more populated, so the everyday arguments and negotiation the show is known for have more corners to happen in.

Filming that chaos had its own practical challenges. Chaddha recalls a very hot Bombay spell and a tiny set crammed with the whole unit. The silver lining, she says, was a cast and crew that already work well together.

The comfort of a long working friendship

Some of that ease comes from Tailang, her co-star across Mirzapur and Bandish Bandits. Years of shared scenes mean they no longer have to spell out every acting choice. As Chaddha puts it, they can “make space for each other” in a scene, because they know what the other might do.

Moving past the mother label

Chaddha has often been cast as a mother, and she is careful not to pretend that the label has gone away. But she believes the writing around such characters has evolved enough to give her more room inside the frame.

She is also clear about why she says no to work. It is not always about repeating herself.

• The dates may clash.
• The writing may be weak.
• The material may not be something she loves.
• The fee may not be right.

What is non-negotiable now, she says, is that the role has weight and space in the story.

The stories she wants next

Rather than naming one dream character, Chaddha points to material that feels new. Love stories interest her, and she has recently worked with Kusha Kapila on a micro-drama that follows women at different ages discovering new possibilities. She also wants stories about women who are not first introduced as mothers or wives, and about women spiritual figures.

Her hope is to read material told with “a little more danger and a little more edge.” That does not mean thrillers, she clarifies. It means ordinary stories looked at through a fresh lens.

Ten years of Mirzapur

The success of Mirzapur: The Movie has added to a good run. Chaddha says the reception has been overwhelming and especially satisfying for the team’s lasting bond. She is quick to point to director Gurmmeet Singh and the unit she has worked with for more than a decade.

For viewers, the takeaway is simple: Bakaiti Season 2 is another chance to see a familiar actor push a familiar format into slightly new territory.

Source: Filmfare