Storytelling must reflect responsibility, not stereotypes, shares Jayati Bhatia | Bengaluru News – The Times of India

Actor Jayati Bhatia has been a familiar face for the Indian audience for decades, sailing smoothly between theatre, television, films and OTT. When asked about her journey as an actor, she mentions that it has always been about breaking stereotypes, embracing new challenges, and using her craft to reflect women’s realities. Jayati, who is in Bengaluru for her long-celebrated play Khatijabai of Karmali Terrace, has a chat with Bangalore Times about theatre, her OTT debut and more. Excerpts from a chat: ‘TELEVISION GAVE ME REACH AND THEATRE GAVE ME DEPTH, AS AN ACTOR’Looking back at her career, Jayati shares that she owes much of the stability and recognition to television. “Television dramas gave me a reach I could never have imagined. Women tell me that my characters have inspired them to make choices they otherwise wouldn’t have made. That’s the kind of impact television has had,” she shares. However, she believes theatre sharpened her artistic abilities over the years. “Theatre gave me depth and reminded me of why I act in the first place. On stage, there’s no retake, no luxury of editing. That discipline stays with you across every medium,” adds Jayati.‘A SOLO PLAY IS EVERY ACTOR’S DREAM, BUT IT IS ALSO A CHALLENGE’For Jayati, this one-woman play is both exhilarating and exhausting. “A one-woman play is every actor’s dream, but also the biggest challenge. There are no co-actors to lean on, only you and the audience. You create a whole world on stage alone; it’s a huge responsibility. Audience’s feedback is the real reward,” she shares. ‘OTT HAS PUSHED ME INTO NEW TERRITORIES’Jayati paved a new path in her career with her OTT debut in Dahaad and Heeramandi. “OTT has pushed me into territories I had never imagined. On OTT, casting directors are willing to take risks — they see you differently than TV and theatre. The variety of roles excites me, and it keeps me alive as an actor,” she says.

When audiences see a woman on screen fighting battles that they recognise, too, it creates dialogue. It makes people wonder what the purpose of art really is

Jayati Bhatia

‘AS ACTORS, WE INFLUENCE THE AUDIENCE A LOT’“Today, more shows, especially on OTT, have women drive the narrative, but honesty matters more in the portrayal. As an actor, we influence the audience, and if we don’t demand responsible storytelling, then we risk creating new stereotypes while thinking we have broken the old ones,” shares Jayati.