While Madhuri Dixit Nene’s OTT debut was one of the strongest pulls of the latest web series The Fame Game, the Netflix show was also hugely appreciated for its gripping narrative and effortless performances by the cast. One of the most striking characters in the show is Shobha Trivedi, portrayed by the versatile actress Rajshri Deshpande.

Rajshri Deshpande, who has proved her mettle as an actor with memorable roles in Sacred Games, Mcmafia, My Dog Is Sick, Nirvanainn, Kanpuriye, Angry Indian Goddesses, Manto, and S Durga among others, has essayed the role of no-nonsense cop Shobha Trivedi who brilliantly investigates Anamika Anand’s (Madhuri Dixit) case, while dealing with issues in her personal life that comes with being in a homosexual relationship, and raising a child.

Talking about her prep and the research process for her role in The Fame Game, Rajshri informs, “Along with being an actor, I am a social activist too and have founded the NGO ‘Nabhangan Foundation’ five years back, through which I closely work with LGBT Community, especially in Mumbai. I know what kind of difficulties, mental trauma they go through especially for acceptance from society, including their families, friends, and difficulties they face in their day-to-day life like earning their livelihood.”

“Since I have worked with LGBT community and their families, it was an honour and opportunity for me to portray them on screen. It was, of course, very challenging as I had to break the stereotype and create a new world of imagination for my audience, where all my people from the LGBT community can live with respect and honour. On playing Shobha Trivedi, I’m often asked about how I embodied her since she is a bold character. But I choose to respectfully differ on the perspective here. Honestly, I don’t understand why we label certain characters as bold and brave just because they haven’t been represented enough in mainstream media,” she adds.

“For me, it was no different than getting into the psyche of any other character because these are the people I see in my everyday life, who acknowledge and honour their vulnerabilities, strengths, and complexities alike. Acceptance does not always have to be loud to raise a point. Sometimes to stand out we just need to blend in and fix the binaries of the ‘normal’ that exists in society. That I feel is the key to reclaiming what has been denied to certain communities and to create more equal and safe spaces for every single person,” Rajshri concludes.

During the years of the pandemic, Rajshri Deshpande’s Nabhangan Foundation worked with more than 30 villages, and is following the model of Pandhari village to make them self-reliant and work on rural development.

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(Featured Image Credits: Instagram)