The Eternal Sunshine Of Her Spotless Mind

Lashings of talent, loads of patience, and an outstanding knack of making every character believable. Taking on the kind of roles that other mainstream actors might have refused. TABU knows what works for her and what doesn't. Being content with herself and being happy for having a good day - just a few things we unravel about her in this freewheeling chat.

- Shraddha Kamdar

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies; 

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes"

Lord Byron's lyric rings true on a lazy afternoon as Tabu enters the studio, a gentle smile for everyone, and starts getting acquainted with the mood. Her monochrome look is not one of chance, but of choice - she knows best what works. Many at the shoot are in awe. This is the actor who has constantly fascinated us with her performances, whether it's howling with laughter in Golmaal Again (2017), bringing to life an immigrant's trials and tribulations in The Namesake (2006), seeing the blurred lines between textbook morality and real life in Astitva (2000) or breezily romancing a man older than her father in Cheeni Kum (2007). As she navigated through solid characters in both Bollywood and the South film industries (Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam), the enigmatic Tabu has surely left an indelible mark in our minds - and our hearts - with her work.

From being the Ruk Ruk girl for a major part of the 1990s, to the menacing cop in her latest, Kuttey (2023), and everything in between, the transcendent actor has been a force to reckon with. Tabu's versatility has shone with every role she essayed, having the audience slide ever so gradually to enjoy or empathise with her character's nuances. Her simple reason for such realistic portrayals is that she found these characters very interesting. "I found that, as an actor, I just have a great experience playing them; I knew it would be very engaging and interesting to play them. I did not have any plan or fear," she smiles. This can come only from a person who is super comfortable in her skin and the industry she works in. Has it made her more patient?