Lisa wanted to be a journo
Prasun Sonwalkar

Lisa Ray, who is better known for her role as young widow Kalyani in Deepa Mehta’s critically acclaimed film Water, wanted to be a journalist but could not fulfil her ambition.

The actress, who is of the Indian and Polish parentage, said, "I had initially wanted to be a journalist, but there were so many diversions on the way. I was more inclined towards writing and not acting, as I was shy and introvert."

Ray had finished her high school in Canada when she was first approached by a fashion magazine for her first modelling assignment. She later moved to India to seek better opportunities.

The actress was first noticed by Indian filmmakers when she appeared in an ad opposite Karan Kapoor. She made her debut in films in 1994 with Tamil film Nethaji.

Ray also made an appearance in Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s famous song Afreen Afreen in 1996.

"I moved to India to see what opportunities existed, yet I was never really interested in Bollywood. I was offered many film roles, but I always refused these, as it was not in my outlook to be in Bollywood movies," Ray told leading British-Asian publication Asian Woman magazine in an interview.

"I’ve always been a big fan of World Cinema as opposed to the more mainstream. I was approached by director Vikram Bhatt to star in his film Kasoor in 2001. This was my first film and it was a good experience – strange yet challenging," the actress added.

Ray has so far acted in 11 films, including lead roles in Deepa Mehta’s Bollywood-Hollywood and Water. The actress said Water was her most memorable film, and added that she had a great rapport with the film’s lead actor John Abraham.

"This is a project that is very close to my heart and always will be. It has touched, in a special way, all those who have been involved with it. The film is a heartfelt, humanistic story."

"We (John and I) come from very similar professional backgrounds, as we were both successful models who made the transition into acting. I think the film gave his talent a chance to shine and to break from playing the stereotypical roles," Ray said.

On her Indian and Polish parentage, Ray said it helped her be versatile and bring a unique take to roles because of her Eastern and Western looks.

"It’s a double-edged sword; on the one hand, I don’t feel that I’ve been stereotyped according to my race, but then again, there have been times when I’ve been told that "I don’t look Indian enough" to play a particular role," she said. She is currently working on a film provisionally titled Stella with Deepa Mehta and her brother. — PTI

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