Soha Ali Khan speaks about her challenging role in ‘Chhori 2’ and the pitfalls of celebrity parenthood
Soha Ali Khan says she is trying to “put the good into being bad.” The actor steps into the horror space, playing a sinister, shape-shifting High Priestess in Chhori 2. She says though the part was beyond her own moral and ethical compass, she rose to the challenge.
“Women have always been risk-takers, always keen to explore complex narratives and dark shades, and are not trapped by what people expect of us. When they came to me with this character and I saw the visual representation I wasn’t even sure I would be recognised, because in certain parts it could be anyone. They convinced me saying that beyond the physicality there were other aspects which they were confident I could do,” she shares.
The recent success of horror films such as Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Stree and Munjya, has brought the genre acceptance as a commercially viable category. With several mainstream actors, from Tabu to Vidya Balan and Shraddha Kapoor, choosing to explore the space, Soha says it gives women a wide canvas for performance. “We always hold women responsible for society’s honour. I feel all these ideas of virtue, and morality are something women have to deal with more than men, and it plays out well in a horror film, as we question society’s evils,” she says.
Revealing that in Chhori 2 “We are dealing with female infanticide, which is still prominent,” the actor says, “though we give it the garb of fiction to make it palatable, the reality is far more horrific.”
‘I want Inaya to have a strong sense of self’
Talking about her family, Soha says parenting is a challenge. “Whatever you say or do has an impact on your child and it’s hard to be on your best behaviour always. It’s hard not to slip up, since parents are also human. My daughter sees me for who I am.”
Elaborating on her daughter’s perspective of her work, she says she showed 7-year-old Inaya how they did her makeup for Chhori 2 and used the prosthetics, and she realised that the person under the makeup was still her mom. “She thinks being a heroine is about looking pretty and wearing nice clothes, so I explained to her that it went beyond that, it was all about bringing to life the director’s vision,” she says with a laugh.
Sharing that parenting, especially under the glare of the spotlight, is very tough and challenging, Soha says post the January stabbing incident involving her brother Saif, her sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor Khan had requested paparazzi to not click her children Taimur and Jeh. A few days later, Alia Bhatt had removed all pictures of her daughter Raha from social media. And her own daughter Inaya had informed her very recently that she had heard that she was famous and could be found on Google. “It is a tricky territory to navigate,” says the actor. Being in this business we want to protect her from being discussed in every household, and neither of us want it to go to her head. We told her she may be out there and people do know her, but wouldn’t she want to be known for something she has achieved? She will need to find her way around that, and needs to develop a strong sense of self and character.”
A banker-turned-actor, Soha says though films are an integral part of her life, they are just a small part in the larger scheme of things.
“I do come from not a large, but a certain privilege, and can choose to stay at home with my daughter. My need for work comes from personal ambition. I am very happy spending three months at home with Inaya doing homework or writing a book. I am currently working on my podcast, which is a new territory for me. I want to do a lot of things… but it’s all coming from a space of being happy, content, and challenging myself,” says Soha.
