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IANS
Her flawless skin and glowing face made her count as one of the prettiest faces to emerge in Bollywood. In her comeback film Dear Maya, Manisha Koirala plays an aged woman, and says her get up didn't bother her because she loves to explore different characters as a performer.
She was praised as an ethereal beauty in films like 1942: A Love Story, Bombay and Khamoshi: The Musical. When asked about her image of an old lady in Dear Maya, Manisha said,"It didn't bother me. Looking pretty and getting praise from people may have value in my personal life, but not as an actress.
"Vanity does not bother me while playing a character. How will I grow as an actor if I am not exploring different characters? I want to do roles which are beyond looking pretty."
Dear Maya revolves around an old woman who starts living her life all over again in search of love after getting some love letters from a stranger. After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012, the actress is excited about coming back to the industry and giving it her best shot.
Does she see a similarity between Maya and herself?
"Hope is the common element in both her and my situation. Whether you are going through a tough situation in life physically or mentally if you do not lose hope, you will win the battle. The film also gives a message of hope.
"In my life, hope is the drive. I believe a positive thought and being optimistic help you to come out of any difficult situation... Look at me," smiled the actress, who added:"If you look at the individual characters, there is no similarity between Maya Devi and Manisha."
Dear Maya, a low budget film, is helmed by young director Sunaina Bhatnagar. What made Manisha do the film?
"I really liked the script... There was a sense of honesty in her (director Sunaina Bhatnagar) and I knew that she is making a good film. The content of the film is strong, so I happily accepted it," she said.
Manisha started her career with the film Saudagar and worked with names like Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Mani Ratnam and Ram Gopal Verma among others.
She played an array of characters including a traffic accident victim, a suicide bomber and a gangster's girlfriend but Manisha says she does not judge a character.
"There are characters that I played which are grey, but as an actor, I must do it without being judgmental. I am one of those actors who follow the script and the director's vision. Even if I am playing a negative character and that talks about something depressing, it should be well-told.
"Life is not all about good things. It is an amalgamation of negative and positive things. So if in a film, we are showing reality, why not? For instance, for Maya Devi's character, if as an actor, I can bring an element of reality, it can intrigue many minds," said Manisha.
Dear Maya is releasing on June 2.
