Whether I’m in the country or not I feel close to our roots: Mouni Roy

Mouni Roy, who has been in the UAE since the lockdown and is currently shooting for a film in London, says she is missing India. She talks about Independence Day and shooting during Covid-19

Mouni Roy has been away from Mumbai since the lockdown. She was stationed in UAE till last month when she flew to London to shoot for an upcoming film. The actor says she is missing her home and her country- especially on Independence Day. “What I miss most on Independence Day every year are my school days. The flag raising, singing patriotic songs and dancing to them- it is such joy. Whether I am in the country or not, I feel very close to our roots and culture. It’s my only sense of belonging. I love my country,” she states hoping, we get “independence from negativity, negative thoughts, influences, people, and other stuff that doesn’t matter at all but still bother us”.

Mouni debuted with the film Gold, co-starring Akshay Kumar two years ago

 

On August 15, 2018, her debut film Gold, co-starring Akshay Kumar had released. Roy feels grateful for the opportunities she got in these two years. She has had two releases since then- Romeo Akbar Walter and Made in China (both 2019) and is working on Brahmastra next. Talking about her debut she says, “As a journey, Gold has been invigorating as well as a roller coaster ride. There have been moments where I have felt lost at times in an attempt to figure out what lies next. But, in the end you have to live in the present and count your blessings every single day. I am happy and grateful that I am getting to do what I love.”

Roy, who has been shooting in the last couple of weeks in the new normal, says she didn’t know what to expect. “The experience has been different but fulfilling. It’s different to speak with everyone with masks and face shields on and rehearsing while maintaining distance. What’s nice to see is that everyone is aware and is following protocols. I am extremely grateful to have resumed work and be on a set,” she says.

 

With most movies releasing on OTT right now, the box office barometer of a film’s success is absent. Ask her how it will affect an actor’s standing in the industry as a movie’s box office success impacts careers, and she says, “That’s an interesting question. A movie’s box-office success is just going to be replaced with other metrics like online engagement, number of OTT platforms carrying the movie, how long these movies stay on the OTT platforms etc. Social media engagement and traction will also be a part of it, I think. Moreover, we have only just stepped into a new world. We need to wait and see how it goes,” she concludes.