And Just Like That’s Sarita Choudhury on her character flying flag for single woman: ‘I’m super proud’ (EXCLUSIVE)
"I needed Sex and the City back in the day for help, also. In our ups and downs and relationships, when you see a show like that, you’re so relieved someone else is going through it"
Sarita Choudhury has reflected on flying the flag for single woman and playing a self-assured character who “glides” through life in the new season And Just Like That…, in a new interview with Attitude.
The star plays real estate titan Seema in the Sex and the City spin-off show, which returns for its third season today (30 May).
Seema is now, arguably, the closest incarnation of Sex and the City at its essence – it was originally a show about powerful single women after all – with Charlotte and Lisa married, Carrie reunited with Aidan, and Miranda dating women.
“It’s made me think about my own life. It’s OK to go through mess – but what’s the point about being neurotic on top of it?”
“I didn’t realise I was carrying the flag, and I feel super proud that you’ve said that,” Seema told Attitude at the show’s launch in Paris yesterday (29 May). “What’s interesting is, I needed Sex and the City back in the day for help also. In our ups and downs and relationships, when you see a show like that, you’re so relieved someone else is going through it, and you don’t feel alone.
“Then you’re like, actually, I’m like the protagonist. I am a protagonist. … Now to play someone who’s gliding through life, it’s such a pleasure,” she went on.
“It makes me aware… like, if I go through something, it’ll take me a while to make a decision, and I’ll talk to every friend. But there’s something about Seema; I feel her decision-making is quick. She might talk to Carrie, but she makes that decision so quickly that it’s almost the opposite of therapy. She’s not neurotic. It’s made me think about that in my own life. It’s OK to go through mess, but what’s the point about being neurotic on top of it? Or self-judging? There’s no point. So, I’ve been influenced a little bit!”
“It’s the first time Seema’s dealing with her hopes and dreams. Sarita might also have to deal with it!”
Discussing Seema’s future, Sarita said: “When you get scripts, there’s so much to figure out in how to play in the moment. It’s often situational comedy mixing with some weird news that’s pretty dramatic – you know, how you balance that. There’s not much time to be thinking about hopes and dreams. Just to play the scene you’ve got at hand is a lot.
“But this season, that question comes up because her area of work and love become derailed slightly, and it’s the first time Seema… it’s probably happened in the past, but she just moved on. This is maybe because of her friendship with Carrie, and what she’s witnessing with her new friends, I think there’s something in her that wants to make things work. It’s the first time Seema’s dealing with her hopes and dreams. Sarita might also have to deal with it!”
Asked if she’s ever worn something of her own while portraying Seema to give the character a personal touch, the actor replied: “I would say 99% of the time I would never swear something of mine. I don’t want to remember Sarita. Seema is so… there’s a pace, and an architecture about her that’s not me. So, it wouldn’t help to have something of my own. Except when we did the Diwali scene, I kept my Indian bracelet on that I always wear and brought the feeling of home. But that was the only time.”
And Just Like That… S3 launches on 30 May exclusively in the UK on SKY and NOW with episode one, followed by one new episode airing each week.