"I have never cared about my on-screen age," says actor Mona Singh, who finds it strange that there is an expiry date attached to women while male stars continue to play romantic roles even in their sixties.
Singh is enjoying a great phase in her career with critically acclaimed performances in the Netflix shows Kaala Paani, The Ba***ds of Bollywood and the Prime Video show Made in Heaven 2. She also played prominent roles in movies such as Munjya, Happy Patel, and now Border 2. The actor, who plays the challenging role of a cop investigating a woman's murder while dealing with personal tragedy in the second season of Sudip Sharma's hit Netflix show Kohrra, said she has always taken risks, and now the time has come to celebrate.
"I have not cared about my on-screen age. I really haven't because I'm very confident, and I know who I am. There's nothing to prove, which is why I keep taking risks. People often ask me, 'Why are you so old on screen?' I would say it doesn't matter. It's the character that I'm playing, and it really excites me," Singh told PTI in an interview.
"People do think like that... You see, it's only in this industry that women come with an expiry date. And it is so sad. Whereas men in their 60s can still play the romantic leads, women can't. But I have never really cared about that because I didn't want to be that," she added.
Singh broke out in a major way with her role of a bespectacled Jassi in her TV debut Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi in 2003 when she was just 22-23. She forayed into movies, playing Kareena Kapoor's elder sister in the 2009 blockbuster 3 Idiots, which also featured Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi.
The 44-year-old actor said the feeling that 'she has arrived' came to her when Jassi became a household name, but she still does not feel that she has made it.
"I don't get the feeling that I have made it. I got that feeling of 'I have arrived' at the time of Jassi... The feeling that I'm at the right place is now, definitely. I've found my bearings. OTT has given me a lot and still gives. I'm very grateful for that. I'm doing just the right kinds of shows that I wanted to be a part of as an actor... I'm loving this phase."
Singh said it was an absolute honour to be part of Kohrra 2, which premieres on Netflix on February 11, as she has been a fan of creator Sudip Sharma's work and the previous season of the show, set around two cops in the hinterlands of Punjab.
In season two, she essays the role of Dhanwant Kaur, a cop leading a murder investigation along with Barun Sobti's Garundi, who reprises his character from the previous season.
"When the time is right, you meet the right people. And I just feel very lucky and blessed to be a part of Kohrra 2. I'm a big fan of Kohrra 1. It just resonated instantly. I'm such a Punjabi at heart. I was wondering, 'Why am I not there in season one?'... The team is magical, so efficient, warm, and loving. They take their craft so seriously and have fun in life. I had a good time," she said.
Created and written by Gunjit Chopra, Diggi Sisodia and Sudip Sharma, the second season of Kohrra 2 brings a fresh case once again rooted in Punjab's wintry landscape.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Amarpal Garundi is now posted to Dalerpura Police Station, where he now works under his new commanding officer, Dhanwant Kaur. Different as they may seem, both share the same passion to throw themselves into a case, even as the walls they've built to escape their pasts crumble right before their eyes, according to season two's official synopsis.
Produced by Film Squad Production in association with Act Three, the second season is backed by Saurabh Malhotra, Sudip Sharma, Manuj Mittra, and Tina Tharwani, with Sharma also stepping into the director's role alongside Faisal Rahman while continuing as showrunner.
Besides Singh and Sobti, the series also features Rannvijay Singha, Anurag Arora, Pradhuman Singh, Pooja Bhamrah, and Prayrak Mehta, among others.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)