‘Everyone in my building was watching Jassi but no one knew that I lived there’: Mona Singh

Mona Singh in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin.

Throughout her career, spanning two decades, Mona Singh has tried to reinvent herself. As she appears as a chief medical officer investigating the source of a mysterious disease in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the just-released web-series Kaala Paani on Netflix, Singh says she is proud of her journey so far. “Whatever I am today, it’s because of a lot of hard work. However, I am not satiated yet,” says the actor, who is excited over the changes in the popular narrative that streamers have brought in. “There is great content to be part of. Women characters are given more attention on OTT. They are well-written and nuanced,” says the actor, whose recent performance as the sassy and sensitive Bulbul Jauhari in Made in Heaven Season 2 was much appreciated.

For nearly eight years now, Singh has taken a break from doing television after being part of shows like Radhaa Ki Betiyaan Kuch Kar Dikhayengi (2008–2009), Kya Huaa Tera Vaada (2012–2013) and Pyaar Ko Ho Jaane Do (2015–2016). The actor first broke away from television when she made her movie debut with 3 Idiots (2009). Since one can’t leave a television show midway, she had to let go of several film projects before that. “In 2008, I was hosting an awards function in America where I met Rajkumar Hirani. When he said he had a role for me, I didn’t believe he was serious. Five months later, he called me to his office and they gave me a narration.” Following this, she has acted in several movies such as Utt Pataang (2011), Zed Plus (2014) and Amavas (2019). But it’s her compelling portrayal of a loving but strong mother in Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) that was talked about.

Mona Singh in Laal Singh Chaddha.

“For Laal Singh Chaddha, I got a call in April 2019 for an audition and was asked to come in my simple best look without any makeup. I was given two scenes during the test. One was the dying scene and another was Laal’s school admission. In July, I heard from Aamir Khan Productions. I had a narration with Atul Kulkarni. We started shooting in October,” she says. The process of bagging the role of Bulbul Jauhari was less formal. “I was in Goa and was chilling with my husband (Shyam Rajagopalan) when I got a call from Tiger Baby Films in 2021. Zoya Akhtar called me, explained the graph of Bulbul and shared the script with me. Because of the lockdown, I tested over Zoom.”

Though often praised for her “spontaneous” performance, Mona Singh says she is still trying to figure out how to achieve that on screen. “When actors know their lines and cues, attend workshops and find their body language in front of the camera, it becomes easier to deliver their best shot organically,” she says. However, rehearsing too much doesn’t work for her as it gets a bit technical. Instead, before facing the camera, she takes some time to listen to music and relax in her vanity. That apart, as an artist, she is extremely disciplined. “I practise Ashtanga yoga and meditation in the morning.”

While she is happy that streamers have offered her some exciting roles, she believes in “trying something new and pushing the envelope”. Singh says, “I’m getting more and more ambitious by the day. I want to work with all the good directors. I want to work with Zoya again. I want to work with Homi Adajania, Raj and DK.” That apart, she, along with her husband, has been writing some stories. “We want to tell our stories. Someday, I would like to wear the producer’s hat… It’s important to keep reinventing yourself. Otherwise, somewhere you may get lost in your past. I don’t want to get complacent and comfortable,” says Singh, who loves to travel with her family. When at home, she spends her time with her pets or does gardening.