Fatima Sana Shaikh has spoken candidly about the challenges female performers continue to face in finding complex and unconventional roles in the entertainment industry. While the actress has earned acclaim for her performances across films and streaming projects, she admits that she is still searching for a role that truly pushes her creative boundaries.

Fatima Sana Shaikh opens up about lack of complex roles for women: “We’re craving layered, grey and negative characters”

Discussing the kind of characters she hopes to portray in the future, Fatima said, “For female actors, the range of roles available is still quite limited. We’re craving layered, grey and negative characters. I still haven’t found something that completely satisfies that need to explore and truly challenge myself as an actor.” The actress also reflected on the constant need to evolve and prove oneself in an industry where success can be fleeting. “Because I think if that ends, then your growth is stunted. That’s the beauty – or the drawback – of this industry. It’s Friday to Friday. No matter where you are in your career, you have to start again,” she said.

Speaking about the importance of having people around her who offer honest feedback, Fatima shared that constructive criticism has played a key role in keeping her grounded. “I wish I had at least one person in my life who would just say I’ve done a great job.” She further added, “My manager tells me ten things what I’ve not done right, and that’s good. These are the people who are my reality check. They are my mirrors. If I don’t have them, then I don’t know… it’s not a good place to be in. It’s a nice bubble to live in where people think you’re amazing, but it’s a bubble. It’s not that they are working for me; I am working for them. It’s a relationship.”

Fatima also addressed her ambitions as an actor, admitting that she hopes to reach a wider audience and build a stronger connection with viewers through her work. “Everybody wants stardom. It’s basically people appreciating your work – a lot of people appreciating your work. They connect with you, either off screen or on screen, and you become someone they relate to or aspire to. I want to be that person. I hope I find my tribe and touch enough lives to receive that kind of love. But that can only happen with hard work, destiny and luck. You have to find the right film, the right thing,” she shared.

The actress further revealed that she continues to be highly critical of her own performances, though she now views self-doubt as a tool for growth rather than a setback. She went on, “I still question myself but in a positive way,” she said and continued, “I’m never happy with my performance. I feel I’m not good enough – but that helps me, though not in a self-deprecating way anymore.”

Reflecting on how her perspective has evolved over the years, Fatima explained, “Earlier, it used to really stop me from being a better version of myself. It would affect my mental health. It would stop me from growing, from taking risks. Now that has shifted. I’m still questioning myself. I’m still not happy with whatever I do. But now, at least, it’s in a positive way. I’m taking that self-doubt to propel myself as an artiste rather than to put myself down.”

Having built a reputation for taking on diverse roles throughout her career, Fatima’s comments offer insight into her continuing desire to explore more challenging characters and expand her creative horizons in the years ahead.

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