Konkona Sen Sharma recently captivated audiences in ‘Search: The Naina Murder Case,’ a new JioHotstar series. In the show, she portrays ACP Sanyukta, a homicide investigator navigating the complexities of balancing her demanding career with motherhood and an attempt to mend her marriage. In a candid conversation with Hindustan Times, Konkona delved into the relatability of her character, the evolving landscape for female actors, and more.
Navigating Work and Family Life
Konkona embodies ACP Sanyukta, a dedicated homicide investigator who also faces the challenges of raising a teenager and attempting to revive her marriage. The series subtly highlights how the responsibility of balancing professional and personal life often falls disproportionately on women. Konkona resonates with this, stating, “It’s very normalised in a way. That aspect of it is something that I have also dealt with for many years – the balance of handling things at home and at work. In fact, I found playing Sanyukta quite liberating because she was just not handling things at home.”
The actress candidly admits that achieving this equilibrium is a continuous journey, one she’s still mastering. “On a good day, I feel I have a rich and fulfilling life with so many aspects to it that even if one is a little down, one can look at the other one. But on some days, I do feel ‘I don’t know how I am going to manage this’. Sometimes you fail, or on other days you succeed, or maybe fail less. That’s a nice way of putting it,” she shares with a laugh.
Shifting Roles for Women Over 40
At 45, Konkona is at the forefront of leading roles in streaming shows, a testament to the opportunities OTT platforms have opened for actresses of her generation. “I am very pleasantly surprised by this, and also that the characters I am playing don’t require me to pretend to be much younger. A lot of men and women were doing that in the big theatrical films a few years ago,” she observes. While acknowledging a positive shift, moving the focus from ‘women over 30’ to ‘women over 40,’ Konkona notes there’s still progress to be made. “You always say women above 40, never above 50. Even if you are above 50, you say you are above 40. That’s a neat trick,” Konkona jokes, adding, “But we’ll get there.”
The series ‘Search: The Naina Murder Case’ is produced by Applause Entertainment and Highgate Entertainment, and directed by Rohan Sippy. It is currently available for streaming on JioHotstar.