DIVERSITY SPOTLIGHT: SARONI ROY
Meet one of the impressive new co-chairs of The Equity Diversity Committee, Saroni Roy.
Saroni Roy is an Australian actor, model and social worker based in Sydney. She is a woman of colour, cancer survivor and a new co-chair of the Equity Diversity Committee. This year with the beginning of a new decade she christened her ‘Diversity, Sustainability and Social Justice’ initiatives with the Saroni Roy Foundation (SRF), a social enterprise to perpetuate socio-economic and environmental well-being.
What made you want to be an actor / performer?
I was introduced to the world of art and literature from a very early age as my mother and grandmother are both trained and professional Hindustani Classical singers. Apart from Indian, I was also exposed to film, art and literature from all over the world mainly British, European, American, as a part of my academic syllabus in school, university and at home. I got my formal training in dancing since I was three years old, focusing on Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Odissi and Flamenco, and dancing and singing along Indian film songs, semi-classical and folk music and dance, came naturally to me. In my stay in Mumbai, initially as a University student and later as a journalist, I frequented art galleries, film festivals, theatres, photography exhibitions, interviewing playwrights, filmmakers, authors, actors, fashion designers, artisans and artists.
Though I actively participated in singing and dance competitions, plays and dance dramas, had a critical eye for cinema, I never really thought of taking up acting as a profession.
It was only a couple of years ago when I was suffering from excruciating pain in my left leg, that I had to quit my teaching job, and was on bed rest, that I started studying acting.
I needed a creative outlet for my artistic passions given the current physical limitations, and wanted to meet like-minded people in my new homeland.
Soon acting became my healing mechanism. I was now meeting magnificently talented artists and performers, and creating timeless works of art! With every experience I was pushing boundaries, exploring new territories, physically and intellectually. It’s almost like meditation for me, a spiritual process. It’s the one profession which I feel uses each spec of my talent, skills, good and bad genes, optimally, constructively! From my expressive eyes, to my body, my voice, mannerisms, intrinsic nature, thought process, interpretation, personality, you’re just using everything to portray a character created by someone else, set in another world! This deeply involving process helped me deal with the physical pain and stress related to my health issues. It gives me this innate sense of peace, accomplishment and purpose in life.
Acting requires you to constantly be present in the moment, trust yourself, trust your choices, a lot of which I had lost due to illnesses like cancer and other past experiences. I was no more embarrassed of my emotions, or my physical limitations, rather it empowered me to perform drama scenes as I may have lived it before. I had to completely accept, embrace and cherish everything I am, because the camera captures everything, exactly the way you are right now!
Why did you want to be on the Equity Diversity Committee?
To have a stronger voice to have that intuitive dialogue with actors and creatives from diverse origin, gender, actors with visible and invisible disability, work in cohesion and sync with them to make any needed tweaks and changes to develop, expand, scale the Australian arts and entertainment industry to new heights and become a self-sufficient, self-reliant industry as we already have everything it takes to be equal and bigger than our global counterparts.
Post-cancer I still face multiple everyday health struggles and challenges, therefore I also want to create a supportive work environment with the necessary training for sustained careers in the arts accessible to performers like myself with invisible and visible disabilities.
Who were your role models when you were growing up?
Actor and model Priyanka Chopra Jonas has really influenced me. From the time she won the Miss World crown to being a top actor in Bollywood to playing the lead in ABC’s Quantico to starring in Hollywood films, to being listed in the Time 100 influential people, to being a host at The Academy Awards. A woman of colour who’s breaking all myths and conventions, I feel she’s a star in the true sense! Her stellar journey has really influenced me and the fact that she was born in the same hometown as myself, Jamshedpur (India), I remember saying to myself, I want be like her! If she can do it, so can I! I want to work very hard each day and make the countries that have made me who I am, very proud of me.
Who has inspired you in your life and why?
I was heavily influenced and inspired by the magnificent body of work of the Indian filmmaker, author and music composer, Satyajit Ray. I grew up reading his books and watching his films, he was so ahead of times, he did the scripting, casting, scoring, and editing on his films, as well as designing his own credit titles and publicity material back in an era where there was not much technology available in India. And even when I wasn’t born in that era, they have a timeless quality to it. I’ve read some of his books, and watched some of his films several times at different phases of my life, and each time I go back to them I learn something new about the same film maybe because I’m now a bit older and have lived new experiences. It’s like this abysmal treasure trove of inspiration, where you discover, learn something new each time.
What do you think of diversity in Australia? Do you think we’re getting better? If not, how can we improve?
Australia is one of the most vibrant and culturally diverse nation in the world, home to people who can identify with more than 270 ancestries. But in terms of this getting projected on screen, yes we are opening up and getting better however, I would like to see diversity in lead roles, not just as featured extras and guest roles, because if you think about it with an open mind, a lot of the lead characters unless set in a specific era or a biopic, can be played by an actor of any colour or gender.
What was your last acting gig? And what did you learn from that experience?
My last acting gig was the short film Faceless by One For Safety production. I was cast for the role of a boss who’s losing the plot over her employee, which is quite away from my natural self, so I surprised myself when the shoot went so smooth without much retakes, thanks to the continued training by my fabulous teachers, I have expanded my range multi-fold.
What have you been doing during Covid 19?
Now that the whole world is running online, I’ve been attending loads of acting workshops, lectures and classes over Zoom by acting coaches based all over the world, honing my craft and gaining more industry knowledge. Because I’m unable to meet people physically, I’ve been running online COVID-19 relief fundraisers for NGOs based in India and Australia to support the marginalised and vulnerable communities in need. Ive also been building my e-commerce business, continuing to work from home for my day job with TAFE NSW, undergoing the necessary medical procedures for my health issues and working with the wonderful Equity Diversity Committee.
What are your favourite T.V. shows / films / stage performances that represent diversity and why?
There are so many but to name a few would be Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi, it’s difficult to describe in words why I love this film, I would quote Variety — “Once in a long while a motion picture so eloquently expressive and technically exquisite comes along that one is tempted to hail it as being near perfect. Such a film is Gandhi”.
Mind Your Language, a simple story could be set in any country, which shows how people with different social background, religion and language exist in the same class room.
Hidden Figures, fantastic story with mind-blowing women actors of colour in lead.
The Peanut Butter Falcon, a rare example of a critically acclaimed film in which a disabled character is portrayed by a disabled actor.
Where would you like to see the entertainment industry in 5 years time?I would like to see authentic casting and genuine representation of diverse actors of colour, indigenous, LGBTQIA background, actors with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health and other disabilities, in lead roles in big productions in Australia and worldwide, represented by top agents and managers. We have an amazing talent pool with diverse actors and creatives, we just need to use it to the maximum potential. A character with disability must be played by an actor with disability.
Where would you like to be in 10 years time?
Financially free, and a shelf full of ‘Best Actor’ awards! LOL
What advice do you have for anyone who wants to get into the entertainment industry?
Formal training is crucial, never get complacent, never stop going to school, remember there’s always someone more hardworking than you who could get the job.
Because it’s a profession full of uncertainties and surprises beyond your control, and does not have a definite timeline to attain your career goals, especially if you’re an actor like myself who’s come from another country and lives on rent, has big medical bills to pay, help family back home, etc, diversify your income sources so you can sustain and focus on your craft without getting stressed about how I’m going to make ends meet and just take up any gig for the money and not for the love of it. And lastly, trust the process, enjoy the journey, don’t lose your mind over reaching the destination quickly.
