Shweta Tripathi has more reasons than one to celebrate. The actor, riding high on the commercial success of Mirzapur – The Movie, has added another feather to her hat, that of a producer. Tripathi got the opportunity to present her first feature film, Mujhe Jaan Na Kaho Meri Jaan, at the Toronto International Film Festival due to her prestigious WIF (Women In Film) India x Gold House Scholarship. Thrilled about this, she spoke exclusively to SCREEN about production, theatre, acting, Mirzapur’s Golu, trolls, and a lot more.For Shweta Tripathi, what goes beyond the medium is the audience showing up. Speaking about the stupendous success of Mirzapur – The Movie, the actor entirely credited the fans. She said, “The audience has shown up. And this is something that I love at the festivals as well. Like at TIFF, I saw that people show up for cinema. People are there. Same way, agar audience hi nahi aayegi, toh hum kitni bhi acche cheez bana lein, there’s no point because we are making it for them, to share it with them, to have them watch it. The way the audience has shown up (for Mirzapur). Worldwide, we have crossed Rs 300 crores.”Given the independent films that Shweta has attached to her filmography, attaining commercial success with Mirzapur becomes extra special for her. “Specially for an actor like me, who has done films like Masaan and Haraamkhor and Gone Kesh, which were in maybe 100 or 300 theatres. Here, Mirzapur was screened on over 4000 screens. And you know, it is important because it feels like a win. I am somebody who comes from theatre, and I believe in independent cinema,” said an excited Shweta.A little frustrated about being asked, “When will you do commercial cinema?” the Masaan actor recalled, “I love film festivals but my brain would get tired when people would ask, “Aap commercial kab karoge, aap commercial kab karoge?” (When will you do commercial cinema?)“I used to be like, yeh kya sawal hai? Aap kya commercial actor se poochte ho ki festival films kab karoge? Ki aap independent film ko kab support karoge? (What kind of question is this? Do you ask a commercial actor when they will do festival films? Or when they will support independent films?) Nahi na, (No, right?) so why are you telling me that what I am doing, or what others are doing is more important than what I am doing. This is what I want to do. Let me make my choices.”“Hum numbers ke peeche itna bhaag jaate hai na, ki wo quality suffer karne lagti hai (We start running so much behind the numbers that the quality starts suffering), which I do not want. But the audience showing up for Mirzapur, Golu ke liye (for Golu), matlab har jagah main jaa rahe hoon, log Golu didi, Golu didi bula rahe hain (Wherever I am going, people are addressing me as Golu didi, Golu didi). Mirzapur was playing at the TIFF in Toronto, and it was house full,” shared Shweta.Also Read: ‘Hero’s wife didn’t like me’: Taapsee Pannu recalls worst reason for being dropped from filmStory continues below this adWhen asked if she feared being identified too strongly with Golu, the 41-year-old said that this isn’t the first time that a character is overpowering her individuality. “No, because as an actor, this happened during Masaan also, people would identify me as Shalu. People who saw Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein gave that character a lot of love. So I think I have crossed that phase. If Golu was my debut, then things would be very different,” said Shweta.However, the Gone Kesh actor admitted to having a certain bias towards her Mirzapur character because she gave almost a decade to playing her. “Of course, there is so much fondness for Golu and that should be there because I have been playing Golu for the past nine years. So there will be a bias. Audience ka kya, mera khud ka bias hota hai. (Forget the audience, I also have my own biases). Golu is one of my favourite characters. So there is no denying that. And again, wo hoga bhi kyunki abhi now ek second movie aa rahi hai, season 4 likha jaa raha hai (That bias will always be there because we are coming up with the season 4, second movie of Mirzapur). So this journey is going to be a journey of 10 plus years.”Speaking of what a long-running show of a scale like Mirzapur teaches you, Shweta shared, “As an actor, it has taught me that you keep on learning, it’s an ongoing process. For example, Mirzapur’s journey is of 10 plus years, but for Golu, it may only be a journey of 2 years, hence, unlearning is very important. The baggage of what we have gone through, what Shweta has gone through personally and professionally, or the wisdom that I have attained in these years, can’t impact Golu because Golu hasn’t changed. So that unlearning is very important. And also keeping yourself physically fit. Because again, 10 years mein aap, aapki age ho gayi hai in 10 years. But Golu ki nahi huyi hai. (You have aged in those 10 years but Golu hasn’t) Golu is still 22 years old. So which is why taking care of your mind and body is such an integral part for an actor.”Recently Salman Khan addressed the issue of trolling on Bigg Boss 20, and Shweta Tripathi also brought up this topic. “The thing is ki kahin agar aap kuch padhoge na, toh usmein wo achche ke saath saath bura bhi hoga. And mujhe bure se dikkat nahi hai but mujhe trolling se dikkat hai (If you are reading something then along with good comments, there’ll also be negative feedback. I don’t have a problem with negative feedback, I have a problem with the trolls). Trolling, unfortunately, has become such a part of the world these days. And I think it’s very important to protect yourself and how and who can affect you. Toh wo bahut zaruri hai. (So, that’s very important) Which is why, if it’s constructive feedback, I’m always on. ‘Mujhe apni waah-waahi nahi sunni hai. Wo bahut acha lagta hai sunke. But growth honi bhi bahut zaruri hai na. (I don’t want to hear my praises, I enjoy them but growth is also important) and growth tab hoti hai jab aap detach karke, (when you detach yourself) without being emotionally reactive about what you’re reading or what people are telling you. I want to grow. That is one of the most important things of being an artist,” opined Shweta.Story continues below this ad“Aap Mirzapur season 3 ka bhi dekhoge. Matlab bahut achhi baatein log kehate hain. Aap mehnat karte hoon toh wo appreciate hoti hai (If you see Mirzapur 3, people are talking great things about it. When you work hard on a project, you are appreciated) but I don’t want to read that because I don’t want it to get to my head. So it’s a way of keeping myself in check,” concluded Shweta Tripathi.