When venturing into film-making and acting careers which are by nature uncertain, it is better for aspiring filmmakers to keep back-up career options ready, said national award-winning actor Kriti Sanon yesterday.

She further added that her film ‘Mimi’ was the boldest choice that she had made in her acting career so far and that, that risk paid off well when she won the National Award for Best Actor (female) for that movie. She was speaking in a panel discussion on the topic of ‘Empowering Change: Women Leading the Way in Cinema’ at Kala Academy, in Goa today. The ‘In-conversation’ session was organized on the sidelines of IFFI, 2024.

“I was advised against selecting this film (Mimi) by many people. They were afraid that I will be given the label of an actor who prefers art house films and it hat it would affect the other projects coming my way. Still, I chose it because the script touched my heart. And this factor should matter most while choosing projects”, Sanon opined. She also expressed her desire to play a superwoman character and any character in a negative role in the future.

Kriti said she considers her role in the movie ‘Do Patti’ as layered and nuanced and also described the subject of domestic violence as something which touches her heart. Speaking about her role in the movie ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya’ actor expressed how it was difficult to play role of a perfectly straight-faced robot and how that role was well received.

While commenting about negative characters and roles being played by women in recent films, Sanon said that audience do like and connect well with grey characters and that the ‘male gaze’ is undergoing change nowadays, with lesser demand for the ‘perfect’ girl or woman.

Kriti had great admiration for the new crop of female writers that gained entry into the industry through OTT platforms. She added that OTT platforms are giving female filmmakers better reach in hundreds of countries.

“Women should grow and work on themselves; they should give their hundred percent, stay curious and ask questions,” concluded the actor.