‘I would make an excellent villain’: Charu Shankar on breaking typecasting in mom roles after Animal | Interview

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Animal and Chand Mera Dil actor Charu Shankar talks about her latest release, her dream roles and more.

In 2023, when Charu Shankar played Ranbir Kapoor’s character’s mother in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, little did she know that more such offers would pour her way. But it’s more than just moms that the actor has been playing on-screen, even if that’s what her recent role in Chand Mera Dil entails. Talking to Hindustan Times, Charu discusses going against typecasting in the film industry, finding her own niche, the kinds of roles she wants to play, and more.

Charu Shankar would like to star in a spy or horror film next.

Playing Ananya Panday’s mother in Chand Mera Dil

In Vivek Soni’s recent release Chand Mera Dil, Charu plays Nivedita, Ananya Panday’s character Chandni’s single mother. “Chand Mera Dil had such a good love story and an interesting story arc,” says the actor, explaining why she said yes to the Ananya and Lakshya-starrer.

Talking about their roles, she adds, “What begins as a whirlwind romance turns real equally quickly, with serious choices to be made and then living with the consequences of them. They stumble, blunder, hurt each other, heal each other, and somehow allow love to stand the test of time. Isn’t that incredible?”

Charu Shankar with her Chand Mera Dil co-stars Lakshya and Ananya Panday.

The actor says that her character was delicious to play, especially in a confrontation scene with Lakshya’s character. “In the restaurant confrontation scene, when she stands up to Aarav for what he has done, the entire energy of the room shifts. The power comes from her stance, her spine, the injustice she feels has been unfairly spelt out. Through the film, even when they are in conflict, she is fiercely supportive of her daughter.”

On breaking typecasting in the film industry

As much as the role in Animal and now Chand Mera Dil made Charu stand out, she admits that the film industry tries to typecast women. “The industry does try very hard to fit women into boxes and tropes, but I’ve never really been someone who follows rules very well. What excites me today is that we’re finally entering an era where mothers onscreen are layered, ambitious, complicated, glamorous, intimidating, vulnerable, sensual, powerful- fully human. And honestly, it’s the era of exotic moms, isn’t it?” she says.

Charu says that the women she plays on-screen, most importantly the moms, don’t exist only in relation to their children. “Whether it’s Jyoti in Animal, Nivedita in Chand Mera Dil, or even Indira Gandhi in Rocket Boys, the characters I play carry history within them, they walk into a room with emotional complexity and presence, and refuse to disappear quietly into the background of someone else’s story,” she explains.

What’s next for Charu Shankar

Charu has an exciting slate of films lined up, including Ehsaas, Lil Fishies and Pukam Pukai, which are doing the rounds at film festivals, and Mira Nair’s Amri. “It’s been busy but deeply fulfilling,” she says, adding that she’s also working on a short film where she plays an opera singer navigating love, longing and emotional chaos.

However, Charu has a dream list she wants to tick off next. “A dream role would be to be part of a spy film. I absolutely love crime shows and psychological thrillers… I think I would make an excellent villain. You would never suspect me, right? I would love to do horror…I would love to do action,” she rattles off.