Manasi Parekh: Marriage and motherhood have added value to my performances
The actor credits writers and audiences who have accepted actors “who are not playing a quintessential, good-looking actress”
Manasi Parekh is on cloud nine with the reception of her recent Gujarati film, Dear Father. Calling the experience “incredible”, she remarks, “Every actor worth their salt would consider it a privilege to work with the talented Paresh Rawal sir, who has done over 150 films. It was marvellous to have a substantial role which gives takkar to his role in the film.” Though the team knew the film would work but were pleasantly surprised that the film has been so well received.
Parekh has been an actor since 2004 with a number of hit TV shows including Kitni Mast Hai Zindagi, Gulaal and Sumit Sambhal Lega to her credit. Later, she debuted in Hindi films with Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) and considers it a milestone. “I am at an interesting juncture in my career. My Hindi film career is a few years old which started with Uri, which I was happy to be a part of. The usual trend is that actresses in their 20s do many Hindi films and in their 30s, things would peter down but that is not the case anymore. In fact, now there are so many different and interesting roles out there for my age group,” says the 35-year-old.
She gives credit to the writers and the audience who have accepted actors “who are not playing a quintessential, good-looking actress”. “One is playing a proper character. In fact, I always had wonderfully etched out roles in the TV shows I did. But when I was doing TV, 5-6 years ago, I didn’t get film offers and maybe koi specify requirement hoga. And after Uri, people gradually have been offering good roles. Moreover, my experience, marriage and motherhood have added to my performances. Earlier actresses were told if you want a career, you can’t marry or become a mother. But my career surged post marriage.” She will be seen with Jab Khuli Kitaab co-starring Aparshakti Khurana.
Having starred in some acclaimed Gujarati films, Parekh is thrilled with the growth in Gujarati cinema. “There is an overarching trend of audiences and their tastes changing. The lockdown and pandemic too have amplified things. Today, people are ready to watch films in any language. Pehle Bollywood zyada dekhte the but now they have become more open to different languages. And there are many exciting things happening in Gujarati cinema. For example, my career in Gujarati films, after I did Gol Keri (2020) and now Dear Father, I am shooting a film with Sharman Joshi film and another Gujarati film with Ratna Pathak Shah. Suddenly, a number of mainstream Hindi actors are stepping into Gujarati films. While the south industry is established, Gujarati is still growing. It is exiting to be a part of growing industry. That is a telling sign of changing times.”