Moments of self-doubt taught me a lot: Freida Pinto
Freida Pinto says she never wanted to surrender to the Indian stereotype in Hollywood, which resulted in her saying no to a lot of big projects. The 33-year-old Indian actor, who started her Hollywood journey with Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire”, says even though she knew it was the right decision, she went through a phase of “self doubt and anxiety”. “I made it very clear after ‘Slumdog…’ that I would have to carve my own path and also determine the path for the next generation of Indian actors. It was very important for me to not surrender to the Indian stereotype. “But there was a fear of missing out. There was a no formula, which I could follow. There was a phase in my career for two-and-half years where there was a lot anxiety and fear,” Freida told DIN in an interview. The actor, however, says those “moments of self-doubt” taught her a lot.”I am exactly in a place where I wanted to be. This is exactly the space where I wanted to work. I always wanted to be a part of the content where focus is not on glamour and beauty but on real people.”After having a huge start and then going through a phase of anxiety, I can truly say I am happy and content now. It was a great learning experience.” Freida believes the inclusivity drive and debate on representation of cultures, races and gender has made things better for artistes like her. “There is no better time to be in cinema or in television than right now. The time right now is such where a lot of producers and filmmakers are taking risks. Definitely in the West we have seen that happening with ‘The Crown’ or ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. In films also women are playing the lead and they are successful.” Under-representation of actors of colour in 2016 Academy Awards nominations ignited the debate around whitewashing and a year later the #MeToo movement brought a major shift in the politics around gender in Hollywood. The strong reaction from people within the industry pushed filmmakers and writers to focus on writing better parts for women and actors of colour.
