Sita Sarkar is a successful actress and writer born in Bangladesh and raised in New York City. At age 15, Sita auditioned to become a student at Youth Onstage! -an acting and development program of the All Stars Project, home to the Castillo Theatre. At the Castillo Theatre, she has appeared in numerous productions, including the lead role in “The Donut Play (A Love Story in 24 Conversations)”, written by Castillo Theatre’s artistic director, Dan Friedman. Sita has also authored two original one-act plays, “The Words Next Door” and “Bruised”, both of which were produced at the Castillo. Her writings have also been featured in conjunction with Poetic Theatre Productions.
Additionally, Sita has volunteered as a teaching artist at the All Stars Project and has worked as a theater teaching artist in public schools in Brooklyn, NY. She has also worked behind the scenes with beloved theater companies all over NYC including: Harlem Repertory Theater, Algonquin Theatre and the Vineyard Theatre. While building her repertoire on and off stage, Sita has also been establishing her career in the independent film circuit. Most notably, “A Happy Divorce”, written by Chase Muratore and directed by Jamal Hodge, was selected to 21 official film festivals and garnered 10 awards including two Best Actress Awards. Sita’s latest films as of 2020 include: Dawat, Fractal, Dodgy and The Next Step.
As an artist, Sita believes in tackling societal issues in and outside of her work – pushing her to pursue her life’s passion of ARTivism: where the arts meets philanthropy, volunteerism and community activism. She hopes to one day create a performance and visual arts center that will provide a safe space for youth to pursue their creative passions while promoting the value of being active members of their communities.
Exclusive Interview with Actress and Writer Sita Sarkar
What do you love about the role that you are currently playing?
Sita Sarkar: The most recent film I shot was for a phycological short film called Fractal. (Spoiler Alert!) I loved stepping outside of the box and getting to essentially play two characters. It’s always fun getting to showcase two opposite spectrums of a person!
What is the storyline about?
Sita Sarkar: A woman, Sanjana, sits in a medical ward across a doctor and knows only one thing – that the doctor isn’t real. Sanjana must face her reality, but can she do that if she doesn’t even believe what’s in front of her eyes? The film questions, are you not real?
Who else is involved in this production, director, producer, actors?
Sita Sarkar: Fractal was beautifully written, directed and produced by Viren Shinde. It co-stars the talented Stephanie Morgan.
What are your favorite projects you have been part of?
I’ve had the opportunity to showcase myself in a wide variety of films ranging from short form comedy (Dodgy) to a feature length ensemble film (The Next Step), to a family drama with an all Bengali cast (Dawat), a psychological thriller (Fractal) and of course a reflective short about self (A Happy Divorce). What I loved most was getting to tap into all these diverse characters, making them some of my favorite projects!
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
Sita Sarkar: What I enjoy the most is getting to tell all different types of stories – important stories, fun stories, thought provoking stories– I love being able to give and share that with others.
What have you learned from the directors that you have worked with throughout your career?
Sita Sarkar: I’ve learned to trust myself more and follow the lead of those who trust me and my work. This allows for a beautiful collaboration to develop and therefore a powerful end product.
Hollywood World: What has been your biggest achievement in the field of acting?
Sita Sarkar: My biggest achievement thus far has to be getting featured in a prominent Bengali newspaper here in New York (Thikana). Coming from a traditional family, pursuing a career in acting and the arts hasn’t always been easy. But seeing that same community as well as my family embrace me and my passion gave me a lot of pride and hope as a Bengali-American artist.
What other types of movies would you be interested in filming?
Sita Sarkar: I’m interested in it all! Action, sci-fi film, horror/thriller. But a dream role of mine would be getting to play a super hero!
How do you see your role as an actor?
Sita Sarkar: I see myself ever evolving, learning and growing. I don’t want to play one type of character or role, I see myself doing it all.
What was your most memorable role? Why?
Sita Sarkar: My most memorable role was Jenny from “A Happy Divorce”. The film was written by Chase Muratore and directed by Jamal Hodge. The role was emotionally demanding, which was a character opportunity I’m grateful to have had. The film often got a strong response from audiences and started conversations (and arguments) well beyond the theater. It was selected to 21 official film festivals and garnered 10 awards including two Best Actress Awards.
What other hobbies do you have?
Sita Sarkar: Aside from writing plays, I also enjoy writing poems and prose. I also love to draw/sketch. In general, I have a never-ending love for creating in all forms.
Who is your role model?
Sita Sarkar: My role model in life is my mother. She is as loving, genuine, compassionate, strong-willed and inspirational as they come. She is and will always be my superhero.
Any tips about acting?
Sita Sarkar:
- Prepping for a role: The story is as much (or more) of what’s not on the page than what is.
- In the role: Speak and hear those words for the first time – every time.
- Pursuing an acting career: Start with what you have and what you know. You don’t need to wait for the perfect headshot, demo reel or have all the training. Start anyway. Don’t wait.
What valuable lessons have you learned that helped you become the person you are today?
Sita Sarkar: I always think about my family when I think about why I am who I am today. I think about how they immigrated to America with nothing and continued to survive it all because of their will and drive to give their children a fighting chance. I live my life in gratitude and it’s all because of them.
What’s next?
Sita Sarkar: The next step is to get my own words out there to the world again, whether in film, tv or theater form. It has been quite a while since I gave birth to my last original work. Be on the lookout for new projects written by me soon! Many thanks to you all for being a part of my journey.
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