Fatima Sana Shaikh Says Actors Cannot Always Choose Their Roles: ‘You Need the Money’

Fatima Sana Shaikh has spoken candidly about the financial realities of acting, saying performers do not always have the freedom to wait for their ideal roles and may sometimes have to accept the best opportunity available to them.

Fatima Sana Shaikh has opened up about the practical pressures that can influence an actor’s career choices, saying artistic ambitions do not always exist independently of financial responsibilities.

In a recent conversation with Hindustan Times, the actor explained that performers may sometimes have to compromise when opportunities are limited.

“Hum log koi ameer ghar se to hain nahi,” Fatima said, meaning that actors do not necessarily come from wealthy families that can support them indefinitely without work.

She explained that there are situations in which actors have to assess what is available and choose the option that makes the most sense at that particular moment.

“There are times when you have to compromise, and you choose what is best from whatever little comes to you,” she said.

An Actor’s Options Can Change After a Hit or a Flop

Fatima also highlighted the role that a project’s performance can play in determining what comes next for an actor.

According to her, a successful film or show can lead to multiple new offers, while an unsuccessful project can result in fewer opportunities.

“It is about timing, too. A show or a film works, and you get 10 others. If it doesn’t work, your options get limited,” she said.

Despite those uncertainties, Fatima said actors try to make the most of the opportunities available to them.

Her comments point to a tension many performers face between wanting to experiment creatively and having to maintain a sustainable career.

‘You Need the Money’

Fatima also addressed the idea that actors can simply reject projects until the perfect role arrives.

She acknowledged that performers may want to explore different kinds of characters, but said there is a practical consideration that cannot be ignored.

“However much you romanticise and want to do different kinds of things, you are not putting in the money. You aren’t the producer. You need the money,” she said.

Her point was that actors are employees or collaborators within a larger production ecosystem, while producers and studios generally control the financing of a project.

That financial reality can influence the choices performers make about which roles to accept.

Fatima Says Women Still Get Fewer Layered Roles

The actor also spoke about the kinds of characters available to women in the industry.

Fatima said she believes roles offering substantial depth to female performers remain comparatively limited.

“Ladkiyon ke liye ache roles bahut kam aate hain,” she said, referring to the scarcity of layered roles for women.

She argued that male performers are often given greater opportunities to explore different dimensions of their characters.

“The men get to explore their true potential as actors. They get the opportunities,” Fatima said.

She Wants More Complex Female Characters

Fatima also questioned the tendency to categorise morally complicated female characters using familiar stereotypes.

According to the actor, when women are written as morally grey, they can quickly be reduced to labels such as a “vamp” or “chudail”.

“Unfortunately, when women are shown to be grey, you are a vixen or a chudail. We are still stuck in that vamp stereotype,” she said.

Fatima argued that female characters should be allowed to have contradictions without being reduced to a conventional villain or seductress.

“You can have a wonderful woman character who is also confused. But we haven’t even reached there. Hopefully, we’ll get there soon,” she added.

Fatima Sana Shaikh’s ‘Hunkkaar: The Roar’ Releases on JioHotstar

Fatima Sana Shaikh’s comments come as she features in the new series Hunkkaar: The Roar, which premiered on JioHotstar on September 25, 2026.

The actor plays ACP Jasleen Singh in the series, which centres on a schoolgirl’s allegation of sexual harassment against a self-proclaimed godman.

The series also features Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Raghubir Yadav, Aneet Padda, Ram Kapoor, Arjun Mathur and Zoya Hussain.

With Hunkkaar: The Roar, Fatima is taking on another role while continuing to discuss the practical and creative challenges that come with building a sustainable career as an actor.