E-Paper
Mrunal Thakur: I don’t want to be tagged by labels or languages
Actor Mrunal Thakur admits she wants to be excited about the work coming her way, not bogged down by any tags
Actor Mrunal Thakur is shuffling between her work commitments in Bollywood and the south film industry. She is happy to explore both the world, and is not fretting about the different demands and expectations of audiences in both the regions.
At the moment, Thakur is busy shooting for third Telugu film, VD 13, alongside Vijay Deverakonda. She is working on debut director Shouryuv’s untitled film starring Nani.
“When it comes to demands and expectations of different audiences and regions, there is no real difference. I want to do all kinds of films. I don’t want to be tagged or be bogged down by labels or languages,” Thakur says.
The 31-year-old adds, “All cinema is great, it’s the story, the diversity of the character in getting to essay on screen. That’s what matters and I believe even audiences want the same thing. They want you to be seen in new and different avatars and that’s the core of my existence as an actor”.
Thakur made her Telugu debut with Sita Ramam last year. Earlier, she made her film debut with the Marathi film Vitti Dandu, which was released in 2014, and went on to feature in projects such as Ghost Stories, Lust Stories 2, Toofaan and Dhamaka.
Reflecting back on her journey in the Hindi and South film industry, she says, “The love I have received from audiences is unimaginable and something I still have a pinch me moment every time I see the love that comes my way. I am grateful that I get to be an actor, embody new roles, be a whole new person in each film”.
“It’s so fun, challenging and unique. Nobody else gets to do what we do as actors. Of course the road is not all smooth and hunky dory, the challenge always is to give films and roles people like and appreciate. Also it’s sometimes an uphill task to get the industry to notice you, when you might not have the same platform as others do. But when you do get that success or recognition after trying and trying, the reward is also sweeter,” she adds.
She has touched upon not getting the recognition, and there is no doubt that the entertainment industry can be quite competitive. But Thakur has learnt to steer away from the insecurities.
“I study competition from a competitors perspective to learn. Not to envy. I want to stay in my lane and do my work. I don’t want to be bugged by the insecurity or thoughts of what others do. Yes I do want to see and learn, but don’t want my story to be the same as someone else’s,” she says, adding her family gets this reality touch in her life.
“I love spending time with my family. I take that chance to spend time with them as much as I can get. Even if I have two days off when I’m shooting elsewhere in the country, I fly back to see my friends and family. They’re the ones who keep me grounded, emotionally in place and that’s the most important thing for me,” she ends.
