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Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva (2022) was a golden opportunity for Mouni Roy to break free from her typecast image. After becoming a household name with the popular TV show Naagin, Mouni took on the role of a supernatural assassin in Brahmastra, attacking Shah Rukh Khan in the opening sequence. Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Amitabh Bachchan in lead roles, Brahmastra Par 1 didn’t turn out to be the opportunity Mouni had hoped for. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the actor admitted she ‘dwelt’ on it for a while.
Addressing fans’ expectations of seeing her in more mainstream films and prominent roles after Brahmastra, Mouni Roy said, “I have sat and dwelt on it. After Brahmastra, I thought a lot more opportunities would come my way. And it didn’t happen. One thing I realised was that my name wasn’t being taken in a lot of rooms. There could be different reasons for that but that’s okay, because the inflow of work never stopped.”
The actor added, “I have done three shows on Hotstar (Sultan of Delhi, Showtime, Salaakar). I did Temptation Island. I was judging reality shows. I was dancing and doing songs. My schedule was packed; it wasn’t like I was sitting at home with no work.”
When asked whether the negative reception to Brahmastra affected her mindset at all, Mouni Roy replied, “I refuse to think about it anymore. I am a happy, optimistic person and I am grateful for the career I’ve had. 10 or 15 years ago, I would have been praying for this life. I am happily married and settled. I will continue to do the work I am offered and give my 100 per cent. I am also lucky and grateful for the legions of fans I have. They have shown me unending support. They religiously watch everything that I do and are concerned about me.”
She continued, “Everything in life is a unity of time, space and action. I firmly believe no one gets anything before their time. So it’s pointless to worry. I can’t lose perspective of what I have achieved, of all the doors that God has opened for me. To be sad would be ungrateful. Usko naashukree kehte hain.”
The actor explained that it wasn’t in her control that her name wasn’t being mentioned in many rooms. “In the setting up of any project, actors are always the last in the food chain. A script gets locked. Then a production house comes, the makers come, the money and logistics get sorted. In the meantime, the director and the casting agent are considering a lot of actors who they think are fitting the bill. And unfortunately, if they can’t visualise you for a part, you won’t even receive a call for a look test or a meeting. What do you do? It’s something that is not in your hands,” she concluded.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Mouni Roy was last seen in the series Salakaar. She also has a role in Madhur Bhandarkar’s The Wives.
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