In conversation with Omara Shetty—Vinta Nanda explores her journey from journalism to acting, her craft, authenticity, and navigating theatre and cinema with emotional depth, truth, and a globally resonant storytelling voice.

This exclusive interview by Vinta Nanda with actor Omara Shetty explores her artistic journey from journalism to theatre and cinema, her nuanced acting process, and her commitment to authenticity. Reflecting on her performance in The Shameless, Shetty discusses character building, emotional truth, and the evolving landscape of independent and global cinema, offering rare insight into the mind of a contemporary actor rooted in sensitivity and craft.

I remember sitting in a darkened auditorium at MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024, watching The Shameless unfold with a kind of breathless urgency that refused to let go. It wasn’t just the narrative—it was the silences, the stillness, the simmering defiance beneath the surface. And at the heart of it was Omara Shetty, holding her character together with a fragility that felt both dangerous and deeply alive.
Weeks ago, meeting her in person once again, what struck me wasn’t just her presence as an actor, but her quiet clarity—an understanding of her craft that seems to come not from ambition, but from an instinctive need to explore, to question, to become.
Omara doesn’t chase performance; she surrenders to it.

In an industry that often struggles to hold space for actors who belong to a more introspective, globally resonant cinematic language, Omara Shetty stands at an interesting crossroads—between theatre and film, instinct and technique, visibility and invisability.
This conversation, then, is less about a film and more about a journey—of an actor discovering her voice, her process, and perhaps, the kind of stories she wants to belong to.

From Journalism to Acting — A Search for Truth
Your journey into acting came through unexpected turns—from journalism to theatre to cinema. What do you think stayed constant within you through these shifts?

My need to really watch and understand people beyond what one can see. Even in journalism, I was drawn to the emotional undercurrents of a story. Theatre then gave to me a body to that instinct, and cinema gave it intimacy.
I've always been interested in finding the truth. That's been a key for all the changes in my life. Authenticity is essential to me I value honesty and truth in my work.

What is that moment for you when fear transforms into conviction about a character?

It’s usually very quiet. Not dramatic at all.
There’s a point where the character stops feeling like something I have to “get right” and starts feeling like someone I know, almost like a memory. The fear comes from wanting to do justice to the character. Conviction arrives when I stop controlling the character and start listening to the character.

Once I can sit with the character without trying to project or follow what is right in a conventional sense but, with just the character's truth, that is when I know I am ready to work with the character.

Building Character — Inner Life and Real-World Influences
How do you build that inner life for a role? Also tell us about your life, stepping into the industry and how you have gotten to where you are.
For me, building an inner life begins with asking very simple, human questions: what does this person long for, what do they hide, what do they endure quietly?

I spend time understanding their environment as much as their psychology. The social context, their identity as per who they think they are, and what the world possibly thinks of them, the way they would speak or stay silent, all of it informs how they exist. I didn’t grow up around movies, not even as an audience, so my references are very real, very lived. Limited screen time was a house rule.
Our mother made a rule that we could only watch TV for a while. Amma picked the shows we were allowed to watch. It is the process of acting and performance that I fell in love with, and through it, my fondness for cinema grew and is still growing.
I believe movies and TV not being the primary influence, and also having worked in an NGO and a journalism office has helped me get exposed to ground-level experiences that shaped my perspective.

My own journey hasn’t been linear. I’ve moved through spaces where I’ve had to learn, unlearn, and sometimes wait. But that has grounded me. It’s made me attentive to the working realities of people, not just within the industry, but outside it. And I would like to believe that awareness shows in the characters I’m drawn to.

Coming from theatre, where the body and space are so immediate, how do you recalibrate your craft for the intimacy of the camera?
The lens catches even a thought/intention. So trusting it is essential. Scaling down as required, being authentic. Never perform to show.

Choosing Stories — Independent and Global Cinema
As an actor navigating a space that sits between independent and global cinema, what kind of stories or collaborators are you drawn to at this point in your journey?

I am attracted to stories that are rooted in a place but are not defined by it. Stories that feel Indian, but are also universal.
I would love to work with new emerging voices/directors who are not taken aback by complexities and who trust that the audience shall feel rather than be told. It does not matter if it's an independent project or a big global. What matters is that the story is honest.

I’m looking for work that really challenges me, pushes me out of my comfort zone and makes me think, feel, and respond in new ways. I want to step into lives very different from my own and strive to find similar ground, play characters who aren’t simple, who have layers and contradictions. At the same time, I’m drawn to stories with sensitivity and scale. Stories that can travel, but still feel intimate.

After a film receives critical acclaim, what does “moving forward” look like for you—not in terms of success, but in terms of growth?

To me, growth is not about size; it is measured by sensitivity. It is about being more refined in my emotions. And this takes time. There is almost always a sense of urgency after a big moment, but I have learned that the best work takes time. So, I am allowing myself the time out; I will choose projects that reflect who I am becoming, rather than only reflecting who I am now.
At the same time, staying grounded is important for me. I need to recall where I'm from, the things I've seen and the people I've experienced life with. If my work can keep that honesty I think I'm on the track.
Also, growth for me is an ongoing conversation with my inner self. Where I question what I believe, learn more, and become more confident, over time.

Power And Responsibility, Leadership Under Lens, Influence Examined, Authority And Accountability, Public Figures In Focus, Power Structures, Who Holds Power, Decision Makers, Legacy And Impact,