Indian actress Tabu believes women are taking on a more prominent and empowering role in film and television, both globally and in her native industry. The Bollywood superstar, who appears in Dune: Prophecy — the new series inspired by Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi saga — shared her thoughts on the evolving landscape of entertainment.
Originally titled Dune: Sisterhood, the series has been praised for its strong female presence, both on-screen and behind the scenes, including direction by Anna Foerster. Tabu, who plays the role of Sister Francesca, highlighted the significance of this shift, told BBC Asian Network News, “Being surrounded, feeling empowered and a feeling that you’re the ones running the show… it’s really, really nice to see that happening.”
The trend, she added, is not limited to international productions but is also visible in Bollywood. “There’s been a big change all over the world where women are taking centre stage in many places,” she said.
Back home as well, Tabu’s recent Hindi blockbuster Crew serves as another testament to this change as it features all-female lead cast including Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon, highlighting the growing dominance of women in Indian cinema. “It’s part of the big change and it was also because the woman that I was working with have accomplished so much in their fields,” the 53-year-old actor said.
Reflecting on her co-stars, Tabu emphasized their talent and professionalism. “They have a grip, they have control over their craft. They have a sense of how to deal with people because I feel everything is about people management. That comes with experience, maturity and putting in a lot of work in so many years of their respective careers. So that felt comforting, safe, and you felt like you were being understood.”
Fans in India are thrilled about Tabu’s appearance in Dune: Prophecy, described by critics as “a bracingly different sci-fi dominated by women at every level.” The actor, who has long balanced Bollywood fame with select international projects, found the opportunity to play Sister Francesca particularly appealing. “I always love these experiences. Because I don’t live in that world,” she said, sharing her excitement about collaborating with a diverse, global team.
With people from Serbia, Spain, the UK, Ukraine, and Germany involved in the production, Tabu found herself learning beyond the camera. “It was very exciting, adding much more fun and drama on screen, of course, but off screen. I got to interact with people from so many different parts of the world.”
Despite her illustrious career spanning decades, including roles in Life of Pi and A Suitable Boy, Tabu remains eager to grow as an artist. “Because I feel like I’ve stuttered [if I look back]. [Sometimes I feel like] I’m still new and I’m still learning so much,” she admitted. “The one thing that I feel extremely grateful and overwhelmed by is I got a tremendous amount of love and respect from people or from my audiences.”
For Tabu, the motivation to keep moving forward stems from the creative challenges that each role brings. Speaking about her portrayal of Francesca, she said, “That I should be able to experience this character in a completely new way. That I should be able to present this character in a completely new way [for the audience]. Cinema is over 100 years old, they’ve been seeing stuff happening, actors and characters.”
Acting, for Tabu, is not just about performance but also about self-discovery. “Because acting is such a live experience, you’re lucky to not have the luxury of your work being stuck in one place. You still have to put yourself out there in front of the camera, and explore yourself and express yourself every day when you’re on a film. That’s the only tool you have. I look at it in a personal way.”
The above story is based on Tabu’s interview with BBC Asian Network News.
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