The Timeless Brilliance Of Tabu: India's Unmatched Acting Phenomenon

Tabu is a masterclass when it comes to the art of performance. A rare talent whose repertoire and range transcend across genres, has proven over the last three decades that not only is she in a league of her own, but remains unmatchable when it comes to her craft.

Earlier this week it was reported that the actor had been cast in a recurring role in the series "Dune: Prophecy". The actor is all set to play Sister Francesca, a woman who is described as strong, intelligent and alluring, these are perhaps the adjectives which describe Tabu best as well.

Photo Credit: Instagram/tabutiful

From her evocative performance as Ashima Ganguli in Mira Nair's "The Namesake" to the calm and collected Gita Patel in Ang Lee's "Life of Pi, Tabu is no stranger to the international spotlight. From being called a national treasure and India's Meryl Streep, the actor is a point of reference for actors across the board.

Pakistani Actor Sanam Saeed of Zindagi Gulzaar Fame calls Tabu her role model. "She is an actor who has always done brave, interesting and impactful work, which has always stood out, and struck a chord with the viewer. Her performances are for posterity, she is unforgettable in whatever she does."

Over the last couple of years, have been by far the busiest for the 52-year-old actor. Her screen appearance is far more frequent than before, much to the delight of fans and audiences and also a case in point.

Her latest heist drama "Crew" which also starred Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon, was a blockbuster success and a case in point, that it's not just male-driven action thrillers which set the cash registers ringing. The crew was part of her roster of hits including 'Bhool Bhuliyaa 2', and 'Drishyam 2'. Even though 'Kuttey' and 'Bhola' didn't send the cash registers ringing, it was Tabu's unblemished performances which stood out in the narrative.

However, reinvention is second nature to the actor, neither is she one to shy away from taking risks when it comes to characters or genres. In the last decade since her splendid performance in Vishal Bhardwaj's "Haider", she played the nonchalantly wicked Simi in Sriram Raghavan's "Andhadhun", the aloof ex-wife of a man going through a midlife crisis in "De De Pyaar De", and the badass secret agent in "Khufiya". The Hindi described Tabu as the classic example of how a female actor can be generation agnostic and still call the shots.

"Every era or time has its own needs and priorities which find expression in creativity. It's not that there was no good content before, cinema also evolves along with the audience, and as actors, we too need to do the same," says Tabu matter-of-factly.

Her Maqbool director Vishal Bhardwaj reveals that she is indeed the actor he has in mind most of the time.
" An actor-director relationship is based on trust, and when you do a film with someone during that duration you are in a close relationship, and there is no space for another energy. It is a beautiful collaboration, and yes sometimes it can turn ugly too. But in the process of filmmaking, the actor and director need to emotionally bear themselves, and that can only happen when you trust the other. Tabu and I understand each other as creators and have faith and that translates well into the kind of work we do."

The first time I watched Tabu was in Dev Anand's 1985 thriller "Hum Naujawan". All of 14 years old, the actor played a small, but key part in the film. Coincidentally the scene of her playing the piano in the film was used as part of the end credits in "Andhadhun". However, Hum Naujawan was just for a lark, as she didn't intend a career in films, like her sister Farah at all.

But it wasn't until nine years later she was noticed as the leading lady opposite Ajay Devgn in the action drama "Vijyapath", which won her the Best Debut award. Vijaypath's success followed hits such as "Haqeeqat" and "Saajan Chale Sasural". But it was her sublime performance in Gulzar's "Maachis" in 1997, which showcased her brilliance as a performer and earned a National award for Best Actress.

The actor has the deepest regard for filmmaker Gulzar and says Macchis came at a point when she was truly introspecting and trying to find her place in the industry. "I wanted to do things my way, what I believed in and Macchis was that point for me to depart all that I had been doing before".

Her illustriously decorated career boasts of mainstream commercial hits as well as critically acclaimed narratives. From Virasaat to a Biwi No, Astitva and Chandini Bar followed a Hera Pheri, while there was a Cheeni Kum to a Maqbool. A true pan-Indian star, she has starred in several Southern hits such as Coolie No.1, Ninne Pelladutha, Andarivaddu as well as Kandukondain Kandukondain.

Tabu's appeal and strength lie in her effortless charm. Scroll down her social media unlike her contemporaries there are curated no reels or posts of her day-to-day life. Instead, we get a nuggets of information, a piece of poetry she may be reading, the night sky that would be gazing at to an old George Micheal song she may listening to, along with the mandatory posts of her latest film or a behind-the-scenes moment.

Ask her if there is a method to her brilliance, she simply confesses that there is no set acting process, and is just a director's tool.