Neena Gupta would like to do some south films, wants to work with Mani Ratnam: 'It is totally different world'

Neena Gupta says she now wants to explore action, romance and South cinema. The veteran actor said she would like to work with Mani Ratnam.

Neena Gupta believes she is in the best phase of her career, and says there is a never-ending desire to play exciting roles. The actor not only wishes to do an action film, and a love story but also work in a South Indian movie. On her wishlist is filmmaker Mani Ratnam, whose magnum opus starring Vikram and Aishwarya Rai Ponniyin Selvan: II released last month.

Neena Gupta wishes to work in a south Indian film. (Instagram)

During a recent interview, when asked if there was any space that she still wishes to explore as an actor, Neena said 'many'. The veteran actor went on to talk about wanting to work in an action film, a love story as well as a horror movie. She added she would like 'do some south films' as they are 'totally different'.

"I want to do action, love story, horror, and a whole lot of things as yet. I am feeling very lucky as I am working with a lot of people with whom I never thought I would work with. But I would like to do some south films, like work with Mani Ratnam and others because it is totally different and I would love to do that," Neena Gupta told PTI in an interview.

Speaking about her work, the veteran actor further said, "I have about eight projects and every role is different. It is not what I used to do earlier, like a supporting actor. I’m the main actor now. There is a responsibility to carry the weight of the film. This is amazing. I can’t believe it sometimes, whether it is a dream or reality?"

In the past few years, Neena has played characters closer to her age that had much more to offer than the conventional mother roles. The actor also said that she believes as society progressed, the representation of women on screen also evolved. Earlier a woman was only seen as a mother, daughter, daughter-in-law or aunt as this was happening in real life, she said. However, today women are working and have an agency, which is reflected in the roles written for them, Neena added. She said she was 'very lucky' that she was getting ‘varied, interesting, and substantial roles to play’.

The veteran actor was last seen in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway. Neena's upcoming films include Vishal Bhardwaj’s web series Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley, R Balki's short in Lust Stories 2, Anurag Basu’s Metro In Dino, romantic comedy Pachhattar Ka Chhora, Baa, Ishq-E-Nadaan and Sabun with Jackie Shroff.