Fatima Sana Shaikh has earned praise for portraying bold and layered women on screen. Since her debut in Dangal, she has impressed audiences with thought-provoking characters, strong performances, and a commanding screen presence.

This year, she has already delivered two notable performances — in Metro… In Dino and Aap Jaisa Koi. In both films, she played fearless women with an emotional depth, blending strength with softness.

Speaking on Role Choices and Stereotypes

In an interview with Filmfare, Fatima discussed her choice of roles and why she took on the character of Madhu Bose in Aap Jaisa Koi. She revealed that her main motivation is constant reinvention.

She also opened up about how Bollywood often stereotypes strong women. “When people think of strong women, they think of aggressive women. I don’t know why! Just because we know what we want and we voice for equality does not mean we will fight with men, or we want to fight, or we want to smoke a cigarette. The idea is very stereotypical. We don’t want to do that. There is so much more; it’s about how we think and how we hold a space as women. We don’t see that in films,” she said.

Fatima explained that after Dangal, she was offered many empowering roles but avoided playing characters that were one-dimensional or anti-men. Instead, she focuses on characters that reflect the real strength of women without clichés.

Exploring Comedy and Uncommon Spaces for Women

Fatima also expressed her desire to explore genres where women are rarely seen. “I don’t need to do a film that’s dependent on a topic or is issue-related. It’s okay if I’m doing a comedy film, but we don’t see women in comedy films. That’s so rare and sad, because we also have good comic timing,” she said.

She pointed out that women-led films are still rare in the commercial space and that audiences should see women in a variety of roles, not just those centered on social issues.

Staying Relevant in a Changing Industry

Fatima reflected on how the film industry has evolved since she began her career. “When I started it all, it was different, and now it is very different. Your relevance keeps changing,” she explained. “I’m excited today, and tomorrow I won’t be. Two films have come along; it could be my luck. People are interested in me again. But, that’s the game,” she added.

She believes constant reinvention is key to staying in the audience’s mind and adapting to changing trends.

Upcoming Projects

The actress will next be seen in Gustaakh Ishq alongside Vijay Varma. She also has an untitled project with Roy Kapur Films and another untitled courtroom drama in the pipeline.