Interview: I was never under the pressure of right or wrong, now I don’t use heroines as fillers – Mona

Mona Singh, who got married at the age of 39, believes that women should live their life and learn from their mistakes. Mona, who played Aamir Khan’s mother in Laal Singh Chaddha, is playing the role of Abhay Verma’s mother in the upcoming Munjya. A conversation with her.

Today, you are seen in strong roles even after crossing forty. You got married at the age of 39. You must be proud of living your life the way you want?
-The truth is that I never took the pressure of society. My parents were always supportive of me. When I was not married, people used to constantly ask me, when are you getting married? But I never came under the pressure of what is right and what is wrong? I lived my life. I learned from my mistakes myself. My challenges, risks, everything was my own. No one guided me. Talking about my career, today not only OTT but also in films, such a time has come where women are not being cast just for fillers, insert dance here or put this here to add glamour. Now women are getting countless colors to play. They are not just positive or negative. If you watch Made in Havan or Kafas or Kaali Paani, you will find fifty shades in my roles. In this film too, I have a solid character of Bittu’s mother. Now she is not just a damsel in distress that someone will come and save her. Now she is not only protecting herself but also others. We are seeing this change not only in entertainment but also in society.

You are a very strong woman, but what things about women in general do you object to?
-What I object to the most is that women are always told what to do and what not to do. Where to go, whom to marry, where to work, everything is told. It is very important to understand that this is our life, let us live it. Let us make our mistakes. Don’t cut our wings. Let us fly. Now you see, we are able to fly aircrafts as well. We women are capable in every way.

Starting from TV, you are continuously active on films and OTT as well. Where do you enjoy the most?
-I like acting the most, no matter what the medium is. An actor’s dream is to play different roles and I am living that dream. I came to Mumbai years ago so that I could hear action, cut every day. For me, the medium has never been such that I would only do TV or OTT or films. I started with the small screen. After that I took a break because I had done everything on TV. I also worked in theatre. Then came OTT. I am thankful to OTT that I am able to play such strong characters on this platform. I am getting movies. I have been in the industry for 20 years, so now I am experimenting.

When did you face the most difficulty in your career?
-The difficult phase of my career started after Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin. Although things should have become easier, but that show and its fame had become so much that I felt that I should not do TV after this, because every show of mine will be compared to Jassi. I had become a little away from TV serials. I was the winner of reality dance show like Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, and I also hosted shows like Comedy Notice Live and Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega. It was only after a gap that I worked in serials. The time after Jassi was very difficult for me. I used to think for a long time what next?

Your film ‘Munjya’ is based on the supernatural. Do you believe in ghosts?
-I think that whatever horror or fear is there, it is in your mind. However, I am very scared of horror films. I remember, when we were small and used to go out to play, the lights of our stairs were not switched on till seven o’clock. When I had to go up the stairs to my house after playing, I always felt that someone was following me. At that time, to get rid of the fear, I used to run up the stairs chanting ‘Wahe Guru Wahe Guru’. Even now I am very scared of horror films. I always start imagining that there is someone under the bed. There is someone behind the curtain. We had a lot of fun while shooting the film. We were imagining our CGI (computer generated) actor everywhere. This film is also right for a viewer like me because it has a good mixture of horror and comedy. Otherwise people like me would not go to see horror.