There is a certain amount of warmth and compassion in her voice when you hear Mrunal Thakur speak about things that are close to her heart. Seated on a beige couch, looking comfortably chic in a pair of linen pants and a sleeveless top, the actor who is riding high on the success of her Telugu film Sita Ramam, in a candid conversation with News18 spoke about the importance of investing in mental health, representing progressive women in films and the secret behind her success.
From stealing makeup from her mother’s purse to becoming the brand ambassador of Lakme, Mrunal’s journey into the world of beauty and walking for creative genius Rajesh Pratap Singh for the Lakme Absolute Grand Finale is a vibe she refers to as ‘absolutely grand’. “Two years ago, I walked for the finale, which was a digital showcase. Unlike the last time, there is a live audience, and it all feels so real. It’s an honour to be part of the brand and walk for Lakme which has been here for the past 70 years, and close for Rajesh Pratap Singh at the finale. To be a small part of this feels like the biggest achievement of my career.”
When quizzed about her beauty mantra, Mrunal is of the opinion that there is more to the cliché: drink lots of water, skin prep etc. “It’s important for girls and boys to remove their makeup and take care of their skin. Also, I feel we invest a lot of money on our clothes, luxury, travels etc. But we also need to pay attention to our mind, because if your mind is healthy and stable it reflects on your skin. Take therapy. Even if you don’t need it, talk to someone. Be happy. If you are happy, you have a glow on your face.” She further adds, “While skin prep and drinking water is important, what’s most important is for you to be mentally sound. If you are not ok, just call in sick. Take two days off. Think about the issue and resolve it. Don’t mount it one top of the other. That’s my beauty mantra.”
Mrunal who is confident in her skin colour, feels the kind of films that she associates with also leaves an impact on the audience, especially, on young girls. “I am so confident about my skin colour, Lakme is so close to my heart. For my first makeup I wore Lakme, which I had stolen from my mother’s makeup pouch. And the first product that I bought was the Lakme eyeliner for an audition. When I walk on the street today, they point out and say ‘her that’s the Lakme girl, or she was in this film. I am happy that the work and brands I associate with leaves such an impact on the audience,” shares Mrunal.
In a time when people judge stars based on how they look on and offscreen, Mrunal throws light on the fact that all that matters is how you want to look and feel. ““When I did Toofan, people were like, we didn’t know Bollywood heroines could be someone with short hair as well. Post the film’s release, many girls went and chopped their hair, and their mothers-in-law had issues with that. I realized that we still have those families who are still stereotypical about how a girl should look. For me, it is more important for a girl to feel and look the way she wants to look. Hence, I just want to be part of films and work with brands that I can resonate with.”
Grateful to the almighty to have given her the opportunity to play strong woman characters in the films she has done. Mrunal expresses that she has learnt a lot from the characters she has portrayed. Be it Sita who was progressive enough to be there for her loved one or Nandita of Batla House who stood by her profession, every character has been special to Mrunal.
“I don’t relate but I learn from the characters. Say if I am stuck in something today, I would ask myself if it was Sita what she would do, says Mrunal, adding, “The women I have played in every film are so progressive, if you see Sita, even if she was in that era, she was progressive enough to be there for her loved one. If you pick Toofan, it was Ananya who asked him, and not the other way around, usually it is the guy who asks the girl out. When it comes to Nandita in Batla House, she would always stand by her profession, in Super 30 she stood up for her family. It is beautiful what these characters have done for me. They made sure I have evolved as an actor and a human being.”
Recognizing the fact that every road to success has its share of struggles, Mrunal shared that she has been very hard on herself at the start of her career. “My journey has been my own. I realised I was very hard on myself during that time, but if I hadn’t worked hard then I wouldn’t have got the fruits. It wouldn’t have been possible without all the people including the light men, the staff, the team, the production house, the directors, friends who have helped me and pushed me to perform better and be a good actor. This journey of tv to films, including south films, Marathi films and Love Sonia which is again an indie-Hollywood film, to be able to do this itself is such a blessing.”
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