Exclusive - Shweta Basu Prasad on the real reason for doing Maharani 4: 'I really found the family politics very interesting'

Shweta Basu Prasad talks about Maharani 4

Actress Shweta Basu Prasad has portrayed a variety of personas on screen, from the young, inquisitive twin in Makdee, for which she won a National Award, to the powerful, multi-layered women in Iqbal, Chandra Nandini, and most recently, Criminal Justice 4.

With Maharani 4 she enters yet another fascinating world, where gender, politics, and family power dynamics all come together.

Shweta spoke about her role in Maharani 4, her development as an artist, and what inspired her after more than 20 years in the showbiz in an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol.

Talking about how she became part of the new season, Shweta shared, “So, for Maharani 4, I got a call from Mr. Subhash Kapoor's office last year, end of last year, early this year. And basically, his team narrated the story and character to me. And of course, I've been following Maharani. I've seen the first three seasons. And I've been a huge admirer of the project. And I really liked the story and my character. Mr. Subhash said that whenever he was thinking of Roshni's character, whenever Leap would take this show, they would approach me. So, I'm really happy and I hope people are enjoying the show.”

Maharani has always been known for its strong political and social themes, and this season dives deeper into personal and familial power struggles. Shweta revealed what drew her in.

"In season four, I really liked the power dynamics that's within the family also that's happening. Apart from the larger plot that is happening with Rani Bharti's character, with Huma's (Huma Qureshi) character. So, I found that very exciting because, everything is political only, right? There's gender politics, there are different kinds of politics. I found the family politics very interesting. I really liked the shades, the growth, the arc of my character. I really liked it.”

Shweta has been a part of the entertainment industry since childhood, she’s literally grown up in front of the camera.

When asked how she views that journey now, she called it 'wonderful.'

“It's wonderful. I've been lucky. This industry has always given me good work. And I try to do my best that I can by picking the right projects and doing the best that I can. It's been a beautiful journey of 23 years of growing up in the industry. And the industry is my extended family.”

When asked if she thinks the industry has changed to be more understanding and tolerant in the modern era, Shweta, said: “I think the industry was kind and accepting even then, (when she did Makdee) Because it gave me work and it appreciated my work and people liked it. So, no, it's not like that. I think it's a misconception. Industry has always been open for great talents. And the history of Indian cinema has been a witness to that. There are so many people who come with good talent. Of course, it's a matter of right opportunities and a lot of patience and right projects coming to you and right projects coming to you at the right time. The industry has always been compassionate and accepting of talents.”

After her early success, Shweta took time to find her footing again, eventually returning stronger than ever with powerful roles across mediums.

When asked if there was a particular moment when she realised her comeback had worked, she says candidly: “Well, I don't know. I don't think I have such incentive when I'm doing a project, honestly, that people will take me seriously. I don't know if people still take me seriously. I'm an actor. I'm just doing my job. People like my work. People like the work I do. And that's good enough. And taking me seriously as an actor, I think that started with Makdee, then Iqbal and the other works that I've done. I think the people liking your work or people appreciating you as a talent is a consequence of the work you do. So, the right works have come my way, the right works that are chosen.”

Shweta said over the years that one thing which hasn't changed is the art of good storytelling  and it is what stays true irrespective of any era.

“Storytelling has been evolving for thousands of years — from oral traditions like the Mahabharata and Ramayana to theatre, carvings, music, and now cinema. Technology changes, but the power of a good story remains constant. The audience has always been hungry for stories, and that’s what keeps this art form alive," she conculded.

In Maharani 4, she delivers another powerful performance, one that adds nuance to the show’s already rich world.

She’s quite literally grown up in front of the camera. When asked how she views that journey now, she smiles and says,

“Well, it's wonderful. I've been lucky. You know, this industry has always given me good work. And I try to do my best that I can by picking the right projects and doing the best that I can. It's been a beautiful journey of 23 years of growing up in the industry. And the industry is my extended family.”

There’s warmth and gratitude in her voice — a recognition that her long-standing relationship with cinema is one of both learning and belonging.

When asked if she thinks the industry has changed to be more understanding and tolerant in the modern era, Shweta, who is renowned for speaking honestly and from a perspective, provides a novel perspective:

“I think you're asking if your reference is Makdee. I think the industry has been kind and accepting even then, no? Because it gave me work and it appreciated my work and people liked it. So, no, it's not like that. I think it's a misconception. Industry has always been open for great talents. And the history of Indian cinema has been a witness to that. There's so many people who come with good talent. Of course, it's a matter of right opportunities and a lot of patience and right projects coming to you and right projects coming to you at the right time. But no, I don't think so. I completely disagree with your question as in the industry has always been compassionate and accepting of talents.”

After her early success, Shweta took time to find her footing again, eventually returning stronger than ever with powerful roles across mediums. When asked if there was a particular moment when she realised her comeback had worked, she says candidly:

“Well, I don't know. I don't think I have such incentive when I'm doing a project, honestly, that people will take me seriously. I don't know if people still take me seriously. I mean, I'm an actor. I'm just doing my job. People like my work. People like the work I do. And that's good enough. And taking me seriously as an actor, I think that started with Makdee and then Iqbal and the other works that I've done. And that's also, I mean... Yeah, I think the people liking your work or people appreciating you as a talent is a consequence of the work you do. So, the right works have come my way, the right works that are chosen.”

A true student of her craft, Shweta speaks passionately about the art of storytelling. “Storytelling has been evolving for thousands of years — from oral traditions like the Mahabharata and Ramayana to theatre, carvings, music, and now cinema. Technology changes, but the power of a good story remains constant. The audience has always been hungry for stories, and that’s what keeps this art form alive.”

In Maharani 4, she delivers another powerful performance, one that adds nuance to the show’s already rich world.