Mar 04, 2026 9:00am IST
Konkona Sen Sharma On Breaking The Morally Upright Mould: ‘Younger Women Often Only Fulfill A Romantic Purpose’ (EXCLUSIVE)
For years, Konkona Sen Sharma has ensured she was never boxed into a single mould. The actor, who has delivered some of Indian cinema’s most layered performances, spoke to Variety India ahead of the release of "Accused" about breaking stereotypes, and how, after more than two decades in the business, she is finally stepping into roles that feel genuinely freeing.
When asked whether it feels liberating to play women who are not morally upright or society’s idea of “perfect,” Sen Sharma admitted that the freedom has come with time.
“You know, actually, it’s liberating now that I’m older. I’ve already worked for more than 20 years. In the early part of my career, I was offered a lot of very earnest and morally upright characters; women of substance, very proper and all that, which is great. But it can also get a little boring.”
Related Stories
She pointed out that age, ironically, has expanded her creative possibilities. “I think one can experiment more with older women. Unfortunately, in our film industry, younger women often play a largely romantic role or fulfill a romantic purpose, and not too much more. There are some exceptions, but there could be a lot more.”
That shift, she says, has been liberating. “I have found that liberation now, in the later part of my career. And that’s wonderful because, of late, I’ve been playing some quite interesting, irresponsible characters. Just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean you have to always be correct and good. And God forbid you’re a bad mother, that’s really not allowed, by and large.”
In "Accused", she found that complexity again. Sen Sharma revealed that her character, Geetika, is far from perfect — a detail that drew her to the project.
“Keeping aside the allegations of sexual misconduct, which we will not reveal whether they are justified or not, she’s also not a perfect person. They don’t have a perfect relationship. There are some unhealthy patterns within it. Of course, there’s a lot of love and companionship present as well. But there are things that are not so healthy. And those are the aspects that come under scrutiny and are examined as events unfold in the film.”
For Sen Sharma, that moral ambiguity — the permission to be flawed, contradictory and human; marks not just a turning point in her career, but a quiet push against the industry’s long-held expectations of its women.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.