Tina Dutta's career on screen took off when she was only five. She has shared screen space with AishwaryaRaiBachchan in 'Chokher Bali' and played the young Lolita in 'Parineeta'. Finally, the actress struck gold with her portrayal of Ichcha in 'Uttaran'. However, recently, Tina grabbed media attention for all the wrong reasons. In a candid interview with TOI, the Behala girl pours her heart out. Excerpts:
How did Uttaran happen?
I was studying in Class X when I was offered the Bengali TV show, Khela. At that time a Mumbai-based production house was also casting for a new show and called me for auditions. My dad didn't allow me since I was still in school. Then for three consecutive years, they tried contacting me. Those days we had no access to the internet or mobile phones. So I would check my email at a cyber cafe once a month and would invariably end up seeing the mails after the auditions were over. Finally, I gave the auditions in 2009. Since I couldn't travel to Mumbai, people came down to audition me and I was selected . After that, there was no looking back.
So, you didn't get to complete your education.
No, I couldn't. I was busy with Uttaran since the last four years. But I would love to complete my education. I was a very good student and had scored 92% in my Class XII board exams. I got 99 in English and wanted to study English Honours. But my life changed after shifting base to Mumbai. I still wanted to complete my graduation through correspondence, but couldn't because they wanted either Marathi or Hindi as a subject. I am not well versed in any of them.
How did Parineeta, Chokher Bali and Chirodini Tumi Je Amar happen?
Chokher Bali and Parineeta happened just by chance. I auditioned for the role of young Lolita in Kolkata and Pradeep Sarkar, who was looking for a Bengali face to play the young Vidya Balan, really liked me. He said I was perfect for the role.
Did you always want to be an actress?
No. But my mom and dad wanted me to be one. I would forever be crying on the sets to go back home, but my mom kept telling me that I would love it. It is she who wanted to become an actor. Since she couldn't, she made sure that I lived her dream.
On and off there have been rumours about you leaving Uttaran or getting replaced, the latest one being that Pratyusha Banerjee is replacing you...
To be honest, rumours grow with popularity. It used to affect me earlier, not anymore. Every three months, we get to read these kinds of stories. The rumour about my replacement surfaced when Ichcha was dying, but she had to die because Meethi (played again by Tina) will now be the show's main focus. For people to accept her, Ichcha had to leave. I hope Meethi gets the same kind of love as Ichcha. I genuinely felt bad when Ichcha's track ended, but I am happy that I started the character of Ichcha and I was the one finishing it after four years. And to put a rest to all the rumours, I am still a part of Uttaran and will be till the show goes off air.
But your producer was also quoted as saying that sometimes it is difficult to deal with you.
My producer has supported me many a time. I've been doing the show for long. We've become like family and sometimes nok-jhonk ho jati hai. I mostly have arguments with the creative team if I am not convinced but then they tell me, it's a daily soap where we show banawati zindagi. That's a reality we have to accept.
The tag of 'tantrum queen' seems to have got stuck to you...
I am reserved and people mistake that for attitude. Also, my genuine demands are called tantrums. When I ask for a certain sari as it would look good on screen, they say I am throwing tantrums. At the end of the day, the audience will say Ichcha is looking bad, they won't say that creatives made her look bad. I don't blame my producers, but there are some genuine problems. I am not paid on time and sometimes the cheques bounce. After this, if I refuse to come for shoots unless my payments are cleared, I am dubbed a tantrum queen. For four years I haven't got my overtime payment amounting to almost 25 lakh. I don't want to beg for it. Why should I be called bad for their inefficiency? If that is tantrum, then yes I am a tantrum queen.
Is playing a double role taxing?
Don't even ask! I had to portray both mother and daughter. The attire, voice modulation, delivery, temperament were in sharp contrast. Par aisa mauka sab ko nahi milta.
Did you not think twice before donning the role of a mother?
I am an actress and am just 21. Aisa nahi hai ki I won't get work after playing a mother. I wanted to take it up as a challenge.
There are so many reality shows on air. Why haven't we seen you in any?
I am contract-bound and can't do any other show apart from Uttaran. I had done Comedy Circus before the contract was signed. I also got offers from Nach Baliye and Welcome, but had to say no. However, I am allowed to do movies.
Are you dating someone?
No, I am single. We have to shoot for 12-14 hours at a stretch, so where is the time to date? Also, I'll never date anyone from the industry.
If you are single, how were you approached for Nach Baliye?
I was asked to hook up with my co-actor, Mrunal Jain, for sometime so that I could be a part of the show. You know how these reality shows work!
What about marriage rumours?
I was in a relationship with this guy and someone wrote I was married to him. Getting into the relationship was the biggest mistake of my life. I regret it. But we do have infatuations at a certain age. At one point, I was so disturbed that I thought of quitting Uttaran. More than me, these rumours affect my parents. I belong to a conservative family. For the records, I am too young to think of getting married now.