How Tannishtha Chatterjee did a play and a film during cancer treatment: ‘Art, humour and community’
· Scroll
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In late 2024, the actors Tannishtha Chatterjee and Sharib Hashmi were shooting for Ananth Mahadevan’s adoption-themed drama Pastt Tense. Chatterjee and Hashmi talked about creating a play together, possibly a comedy with musical elements. In the ensuing weeks, Chatterjee was all set to meet Hashmi to take the project forward when she learnt that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
A mammography had revealed that the disease was in an advanced stage. A single mother, who is also caring for her own ailing mother, 45-year-old Chatterjee thought of cancelling the meeting with Hashmi.
“I wondered, what am I doing – a play?” she told Scroll. “But something told me that if I went home, I was going to feel depressed. Sharib made me speak to his wife, who has had a relapse of mouth cancer five times. She spoke to me for a very long time. She gave me so much positivity. After I put down the phone, I told Sharib, this is it, let’s do a play on the very subject.”
That play, Breast of Luck, was written even as Chatterjee underwent painful chemotherapy alongside completing her second feature, Full Plate. Directed by Leena Yadav, Breast of Luck was recently premiered at the G5A cultural centre in Mumbai.
Another show will be held on February...