After taking a break for a few years as she battled cancer, Manisha Koirala is back with a bang—having done four projects in the last two years. “I am fab,” she said about her health. She is on a high after being praised for her performance in the recent Netflix film Maska, about a Parsi widow trying to convince her son to take charge of their Iranian cafe, Rustoms.
Q/ You were hesitant about playing a mother in Bombay (1995). Now, you have done it with such ease in Sanju (2018) and Maska.
A/ So much has changed since then. While doing Bombay, initially I was really sceptical. People brainwash you by saying things like, “Your career will be short-lived” and “You will be typecast”. But now, things are different. Now, the character has become more important than the length, or anything else.
Q/ Since Dear Maya (2017), which, in a way, started your second innings as an actor, you have been working nonstop. Are you happy with the kind of roles you are being offered?
A/ I am an artiste who wants to experiment and go beyond what I have [already] done. I am willing to do anything that gives me that push and challenges me to perform better. I have been offered some amazing roles. Then there were the not-so-amazing parts, which I have declined. I decline more than I accept. If I don’t get scripts that I want to be a part of, I have many other hobbies. I don’t have to continuously churn out movie after movie. But if I choose to do a film, I will give it my 200 per cent.
Q/ Has it been a challenge to get back into the groove after the break?
A/ Absolutely. To understand what is working, to know the rhythm of life now, to mould yourself into the present scenario, it does take time. After years of working in a certain [culture], to un-condition yourself takes a toll. I am learning, struggling and still fumbling, but that is what life is [like]. It cannot stay stagnant.
Q/ Has the way you approach your characters changed?
A/ Yes. I am grateful that I get to explore the characters more. I can sit with the director and discuss the character’s backstory. People are open to new ways of looking at things. Back in the day, everything was very formula-driven and no one really used to think out of the box. Probably that is why we could churn out more movies a year.
Q/ The last time we met, you were working on a story that you wanted to direct.
A/ It is still on. But it is very hush-hush. I don’t know how it is going to turn out. Let’s see.