Joyeeta Dutta earns praise for her role in Anusha Rizvi’s The Great Shamsuddin Family, calling the film an honest, instinctive choice. The Assamese actor reflects on ensemble cast, and reconnecting with her roots while filming in Assam
Joyeeta Dutta in the film
Director Anusha Rizvi’s The Great Shamsuddin Family has been winning praise for its depiction of a Muslim household and the lived-in portrayal of relationships. Led by Kritika Kamra, Shreya Dhanwanthary, and Juhi Babbar, the ensemble dramedy also stars Assamese actor Joyeeta Dutta as Latika, a student who lands up in the protagonist’s house. She says the decision to feature in the JioHotstar movie was instinctive. “I felt grateful to be invited into a space that promised depth and honesty,” says the actor, who has also been seen in A Suitable Boy (2020).
Navigating a large cast that included veterans like Farida Jalal and Dolly Ahluwalia didn’t intimidate her. She reasons, “Theatre has prepared me well for ensemble work. You shine in an ensemble when you lead with curiosity and generosity. If you lean in and stay fully involved, everything else disappears.”
It has been a good year for Dutta, who also shot for the short film, Coconut Dreams, as part of the anthology Yuva Sapno Ka Safar. Filming in Assam with director Rima Das strengthened the Assamese actor’s bond with her roots. “It allowed me to shoot on my land and speak in my mother tongue. That felt special,” says Dutta, adding that representation of actors from the Northeast in Hindi cinema “still has a long way to go”.
Where you’ve seen Joyeeta Dutta
. As Tasneem in ‘A Suitable Boy’ (2020)
. As Lobhita in Rima Das’s ‘Coconut Dreams’
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