After entertaining audiences with her comic timing and memorable performances in television and films, Tannaz Irani is now exploring a new space with her OTT debut in Margao Files. For the actress, the project has been particularly special as it gave her an opportunity to step away from the kind of characters audiences usually associate her with.Speaking about how the project came her way, Tannaz says the OTT debut was never something she had carefully planned. “I never really planned my OTT debut. Margao Files was shot back in 2022, and I was honestly surprised that someone could imagine me as a constable. I connected with the character immediately because it was completely different from the roles people usually see me doing,” she shares.What makes her journey on the show even more interesting is that the role was initially meant to be a brief appearance. Tannaz recalls, “I had gone in for just two days of work. I wasn’t thinking about the length of the role or how much screen time I would get. I simply wanted to do my scenes well. After the first few scenes, Kapilji asked me if I would be open to doing more. I obviously said yes, and slowly, I became a part of the entire season. That’s why I always say talent never goes to waste.”The actress also sees the role as a form of validation, especially since she was offered the character without an audition. “Coming from theatre, I have always known that I can play different shades and explore varied emotions. But in our industry, people sometimes tend to see you based on the work you’ve already done. If you’ve made people laugh, they imagine you only in comedy. So, it meant a lot to me that someone looked beyond that image and trusted me with this character,” she says.Interestingly, the delay in the show’s release is something Tannaz now views positively. She reveals that when the series was filmed in 2022, she was dealing with a leg problem and eventually had to undergo surgery. “At that time, I wasn’t physically in the best space. If the show had released immediately and more work had come my way, I don’t know if I would have been ready to take it up. Today, when I look back, I feel the timing worked out exactly the way it was supposed to,” she shares.Her first experience with OTT has also made Tannaz more excited about the possibilities the medium offers actors. “The digital space allows you to play characters that feel real and layered. My constable is not perfect or one-dimensional. She has her own flaws, emotions and a certain depth. As an actor, that’s what you look forward to—getting a character you can actually explore,” she says.As for what she wants to do next, Tannaz is keen to surprise the audience. “I want to play roles people don’t immediately expect me to do. I would love to play a cop, a lawyer, a judge, a politician, a villain or even a murderer. Directors know that comedians often have a very strong emotional range. I just want the opportunity to show more of that side of me,” she concludes.
