Arjun Mathur on Made in Heaven Season 2: ‘Relieved to pass the baton to Trinetra for discourse around LGBTQ community’
Ahead of Made in Heaven Season 2, actors Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur and Shivani Raghuvanshi talk about reliving their characters in an exclusive interview.
Made in Heaven took some actors and turned them into stars. While Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, and Shivani Raghuvanshi all had been noticed before, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti's show became just the right vehicle for them to break out.
(Also Read: Made In Heaven 2 trailer: Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur fight for love and money as they plan grander weddings)
Learning and unlearning
Season 2 comes after a four-year gap, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the actors agree that the gap between two seasons allowed them to simmer more with their characters. “I definitely did grow up a little bit. I've had the good fortune of not having any losses in my family through COVID. So I was able to employ that time for personal development. Some of it happens by itself, and some you're seeking and recalibrating,” said Sobhita.
“Also, I'm at a point in life where with each experience, I'm just more open to truth and learning. As a woman, I'm coming into my own. I'm pretty positive that all of those changes have had an influence in how I perceived Tara. There's a certain adulation I feel for her now. To people, I'm Tara. But to me, Tara is like this invisible elder sister or semi-parent figure that I go to on tough days,” Sobhita added.
On the contrary, for Shivani, the process was more steeped in unlearning. “Jazz is this innocent, naïve girl who's trying to figure her way out. With time, you grow and learn things. You were going through a tough time because of COVID. You can't unsee the things you see. No matter how hard you try, when you're watching a person through a lens, you know whether they're truthful or they're just saying the line. To maintain that naivete, I had to watch Made in Heaven again,” said Shivani.
Walking ahead with Pride
In the very first episode of Made in Heaven Season 2, a character tells Karan (Arjun Mathur), “Ab toh aap legal ho gaye hain,” referring to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in India in 2020. Since Karan's fight for identity was a crucial aspect of Season 1, it'd be interesting to know where the character travels in an India where homosexuality is now ‘legal’.
“I'm an ally absolutely. And I'm really privileged to be one. But I'm an actor. I'm no authority on topics that mean a lot to the LGBTQ+ community. It's a great responsibility. I was invited to a lot of panels, but to be honest, I often felt I'm not the most deserving to be here. There are more important voices that will have something more to say and contribute towards that,” said Arjun.
But he also added that he's elated by the casting of Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, a trans woman, in Season 2. “It's a gigantic step forward. And somewhere, I was also relieved that this was some kind of a passing of the baton. Because she'll be now even a stronger voice in the show,” Arjun added.
Jazz is where once Tara was
In the initial episodes of Season 1, Jazz is seen gravitating towards Karan, before he breaks it to her that he's gay. But a far subtler track was the bonding of Tara and Jazz. There were bits peppered throughout the season that showed Tara looking out for Jazz, almost protecting her innocence, possibly in an attempt to preserve her own.
“This is something I've greatly enjoyed. A woman who's in a place of power is interested in empowering another girl, whose journey she understands and honours. When Kabir (Shashank) tries to make fun of her, she defends her and makes sure she doesn't feel belittled. That's the spirit of someone who's truly empowered, where you pull up people alongside. That's what makes a good leader. I've enjoyed a lot that she stands by women,” said Sobhita.
Shivani cited an example from Season 1. “It's easier for Tara to empathise with Jazz. There's a scene where she uses the credit card. For the rest of them, it's like, ‘You stole!’ But for her, who comes from that world, who's seen that journey, who knows why she felt the need to do that, she'd never pass a judgement," Shivani added.
Sobhita then summed up the Tara-Jazz parallel by saying, “How they say, ‘A burnt child dreads the fire.’ But Tara is that burnt child who became a firefighter. That's what I find meaningful about her journey.”
Made in Heaven Season 2 drops this Thursday on August 10 on Prime Video.
