"Circus Artistes Are Daredevils," says actor Shweta Tripathi

Actor Speaks on How She Trained With Real Circus Artistes

Mumbai: On the back of several accolades for her performance in web show 'Mirzapur', actor Shweta Tripathi is all set to make her Tamil film debut in national award-winning writer Raju Murugan's romance drama ‘Mehandi Circus’.

The actor who essays the titular character of Mehandi plays a circus performer in the film, a role for which Shweta actually trained with circus artistes.

Talking about her training Shweta says, “I am really excited as this is my first Tamil film. It was a great learning to train with real circus artistes. I always knew from books and shows that the lives of circus artistes are not easy, but spending time and learning from them made me realise the amount of effort they put in and how they constantly jostle between life and death. They don't have good quality harnesses or any of the safety equipment that international artistes do but it's their sheer grit to excel is inspirational."

Shweta trained with professionals from various states out of which one of the performers hailing from the Theni district of Tamil Nadu helped in training Shweta with a risky stunt.

Shweta adds, “I trained and also shot with a real circus troupe from Chinnamanur and Madurai in Tamil Nadu named Raja Circus for the film. I practiced the little nuances like walking and bowing down. I also learnt to throw the knife although I don’t have to do it in the film but sometimes I think that it’s very important to know and understand every aspect of the act.”

A love story set in the 90s, ‘Mehandi Circus’ focuses on a relationship between a girl from the troupe and a youngster in Kodaikanal which blossoms when a travelling circus troupe visits Kodaikanal. The film also elaborates on one of the traditions that is extinct in Tamil Nadu.