Never say never: Lisa Ray on her hiatus from acting

Last seen in OTT series Four More Shots Please, the actor says that she is happy pursuing her other passions.

Actor, author and cancer surviour Lisa Ray has taken a hiatus from acting and recently turned entrepreneur by opening a digital art platform. Last seen in OTT series Four More Shots Please, the actor says that she is happy pursuing her other passions.

Lisa Ray on her visit to Lucknow.

“When you are an actor, then people think that’s just what you are. But it’s not! I had many passions. I am now an entrepreneur, following my spiritual path, being a mother, an author, continuing to give talks about wellness and my cancer-journey. Finally, I am putting all my passions together! So, I have got my hands full,” says the Kasoor actor.

Ray says, “I am 51 now and have been acting since I was 16. I have done a lot of work – a little bit of everything. For now, that’s it but then never say never. I said that a couple of years ago (quitting acting) and then I ended up doing FMSP. See, I am an accidental actor and I never wanted to act. I have written about this in my book extensively.” She is now writing her second book.

The actor adds, “Everybody has many different dimensions to them. Fortunately, we are living in an age where people are starting to understand because we are able to take control of our stories. I tell my own story then be it book, social media or talks so people can understand that there are many aspects to what we do.”

She is now happy inspiring people, especially women. “It’s about my journey, taking all the lessons I have learnt on the way. So, I try to tell people that it is important to rise above the obstacles in life. There is no cut-off date to finding your voice and success for yourself.”

Ray is busy with her new digital art platform. “We went live in December, and I am very happy and proud about it. So, it’s now a journey of being an entrepreneur and a boss. We are a curated arts platform, and we spotlight art from South Asia – India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Middle East. We take fine art practices and digitise it so what it does is make art accessible to a wider audience. It’s about supporting artists and giving them a global platform.”

On coming back to Lucknow, she says, “Besides the heritage monuments, I could see a lot of development here. I think we should not lose what is precious (culture and tradition). I am a fan of both things existing side-by-side with more modern and technological advances.”