Rekha Sharma shows us how ‘fierce’ feminine leadership can be in medical drama

Rekha Sharma as Neeta Devi in

Rekha Sharma portrays Neeta in “Transplant”, Fridays at 9:00 ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca and the CTV App

CTV’s most popular medical drama Transplant Friday returns with a major focus on Rekha Sharma’s character in Season 3.

Dr. Neeta Devi (Sharma), the new chief, has been trying to make changes to the hospital’s work procedures while battling tensions with her colleagues, including Torri Heygginson, head ER nurse Claire Malone.

“Getting to do the storyline is really tough and moving, honestly,” Sharma told Yahoo Canada Last year. “What happens between nurses and doctors when trying to implement change? And how does that affect nurses in a system that’s overrun and sadly hierarchical in its nature where nurses get very little and doctors get more respect.”

“I hope the show highlights these issues in an approach that will actually bring about change in the real-world. We are hearing it on the news, and we see it on our screens. While I don’t know what it will take to change them, they must improve.

Laurence Leboeuf  and Rekha Sharma in CTV's Transplant (Yan Turcotte/CTV)

Laurence Leboeuf, Rekha Sharma and CTV’s Transplant (Yan Turcotte/CTV).

“Somebody who asks more and has a vision of a better tomorrow”

Sharma says that Dr. Devi was an “inspirational” role that she found inspiring, especially in the way that it wants to change how patients perceive healthcare and that of the healthcare professional with them.

“Doctors have been training for however many years they’ve had training for,…and so overwhelmed by a, quite frankly, collapsing healthcare system in Canada, and then to ask them to do better because I know they can,” Sharma said. “That’s huge that somebody would do that.”

“So that was probably what I loved most about this role. A person who asks for more, and has a vision to a better future.

Dr. Devi is another example of a character that doesn’t have a long track record of being seen in mainstream entertainment. A woman of colour who is in a position to power and a leader is also Dr. Devi.

“I really wanted to challenge the notion of what it means to be a leader,” Sharma said. “We tend to think in a very masculine way about leadership in this male-dominated patriarchal society that we live in, and the idea of feminine leadership is one that involves more compassion, more empathy, which I think is much healthier.”

“I think we have a tendency to see ourselves as a society that is too touchy-feely, which I believe is not strong. I disagree. To be able be present with others and listen with an open mind, as well as to lead and be strong. That’s fierce.”

Transplant Season 3 on CTV (Yan Turcotte)

Transplant Season 3 on CTV.

“We all desire to be fully human beings.”

Sharma recalls seeing the pilot and feeling “immediately struck” at the “beautiful and brave action these people took in putting the show together. This is referring to the decision to place Bashir (Hamza Haiq), a Syrian refugee at the center of the story.

Sharma said that she is looking for “great writing” when deciding which project she wants to be part of.

“If it’s there on the page then I’ve got more to play with,” Sharma said. “A character that has full, complex, dynamic.”

“Especially as someone of colour, many of our roles have historically been the best friend, the sidekick and not the most fascinating human beings. That’s all we want to be, we all want to be recognized as full human beings in the world and of course, in my work.”

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