Tillotama Shome, who was last seen in ‘Paatal Lok Season 2’, has never shied away from talking about the challenges she faced in over two-decade-long career in the film industry. In a recent interview, the actor recounted a moment when a director bluntly told her she would never earn big in the industry.
Tillotama Shome gets emotional
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Tillotama got emotional as she recalled the moment and shared how she eventually proved the director wrong by standing her ground and successfully negotiating a higher fee for her next film.
“A director I once worked with paid me very low. At the wrap party, we were all talking when someone asked me, ‘what would be something that you really are lusting for?’ I mentioned a particular car that cost a certain amount, and said, ‘If I do a film where I’m paid this much, I could buy that car.’ The director then said, ‘I’m so sorry to break this to you, but you’re never going to earn that kind of money. It’s unfair, but that’s how this industry is. You’re very talented, but unfortunately, you’ll never make that much.’ He said it in a tone that felt like he meant well — but it stayed with me,” she said.
How she proved the director wrong
Years later, she got a script that offered her everything she wanted as an artist. While she knew such creatively fulfilling roles were rare, she decided not to compromise on her worth.
“Then came my next film, which was everything I could dream of creatively. I knew I’d never get a role that good again, but I still negotiated for four months. I fought for the money, and eventually, I got paid double the amount I’d mentioned at that party. When the contract was finalized, I messaged that director and said, ‘By the way, I just closed a deal and was paid this much. Thought you should know before you tell another actor what they can or can’t do.’ That moment meant a lot to me,” she said, her voice trembling as she wiped away tears.
About Tillotama Shome
Tillotama’s career began with Mira Nair’s acclaimed ‘Monsoon Wedding’ (2001), in which she played the soft-spoken house help Alice. Since then, she has built an impressive filmography that includes roles in ‘Shanghai’ (2012), ‘Qissa’, ‘A Death in the Gunj’ (2017), ‘Hindi Medium’ (2017), ‘Sir’ (2018), and ‘Angrezi Medium’ (2020). She also featured in ‘Lust Stories 2’ (2022), in the segment directed by Konkona Sensharma.
Her OTT work has been equally noteworthy, with performances in ‘Delhi Crime Season 2’ (2022), ‘The Night Manager’ (2023), ‘Kota Factory Season 3’, and the recent ‘Tribhuvan Mishra: CA Topper’ (2024).
