"I am not afraid of anything"

Her eyes captured many a hearts but she kept it with herself till she decided to get married with her prince charming, a successful businessman. Meenakshi Rana, one of the first Nepali actresses made a name for herself not only in the Nepali film industry but also in the highly competitive world of Bollywood, Bombay. Her first Nepali movie, Sindoor was a landmark in Nepali film industry. She has been married for nearly ten years now, lives mostly in Bombay and is a devoted mother of two sons and is a busy housewife. Still a striking looker, she has a striking personality and a genuine warmth that draws people easily to her. Meenakshi was awarded the Hari Tara Puraskar recently in Nepal. She spoke to The Independent recently about herself and where she stands today. The excerpts:

Q: As you said, you stay home and look after your boys now. Are you happy doing what you are doing?
A: Very happy. I feel that I have achieved a lot in life, earned name and fame at an early age, and so am content with this stage of my life. Everything has its life cycle. I felt that the time had come for me to retire and settle down. Meeting the right person at the right time helped me achieve that wish also and so here I am today with two growing sons. I’m thoroughly enjoying what I’m doing now.

Q: How did you get into movies?
A: After graduating from school, I went for FTII (diploma in acting) in Pune, India - passed with flying colours - in first division. Then I started working. It was a struggle in the beginning but very soon, things began to fall in place and I began to enjoy my work.

Q: Have you thought about making a comeback into films?
A: I really have not thought about that, nobody has approached me so far (laughs); and I have not been in touch with the film industry in Nepal.   Most of my colleagues in Bombay with whom I studied ( Suresh Oberoi, Gulshan Grover, Om Puri, David Dhawan) are still working and doing well. I guess, at this point of time, my children are my priority. I feel maids and governesses cannot compensate for a mother. I would not like my children to grow up without proper guidance and good values in life. I always tell my older son that he must become a good human being first.

Q: What difference do you see in movies of today and the movies of your time?
A: In those days, movies I acted in had a lot of class. For me it was not so much for money or fame as for the fact that I really enjoyed acting. God gave me the talent and I decided to take it on as my Dharma - as one of my Buddhist friends called it. When you entertain people for three hours and make them forget all their worries for those few hours for a small amount of money, you are doing something.   Giving your profession the best you have is a challenge and I took it on very well I must say. I believe that there has to be dignity in whatever you do, you must have respect for that work. I must add that cheapness of any kind really puts me off, I find it repulsive.

I can’t say anything about Nepali movies these days because I am really out of touch with the industry but I definitely can say that these days they do not have well trained actors or actresses like we had in our days. In the Pune institute, we had to go through a rigorous training and we had to compete among thousands of other aspiring students. Even if you have the inherent talent, acting is something that has to be polished and given the right direction - and that can come through only training.

Q: How was your experience acting in Hindi movies?
A: It was a larger than life experience. Definitely there was more money and more fame. I acted in a number of regional movies also.

Q: Do you enjoy watching yourself on the screen now?
A: Yes. Narcissism, I guess. I sometimes indulge in thinking that had I been doing those roles now, how differently I would do them. But I guess, the charm is doing things as it comes at different stages of your life.

Q: You have no regrets?
A: No. I believe in living up every moment of your life. I have not done anything that should be regretted later. And if you start regretting, it serves no purpose, it only ages you faster and bothers your present.

Q: How many movies have done all in all?
A: I really have not kept a count. Quite a lot.

Q: Who were the actors you worked with in Nepal?
A: Shiva Shrestha and Bhuvan K.C got their first breaks with me. Now they are established stars - I’m glad to say.

Q: What do you have to say about the copy cats in Nepali industry?
A: When someone tries to copy from other movies, I feel it is a very poor show. We have so much of diversity, originality of our own that there is no need to copy at all.

Q: Who has been the guiding force in your life?
A: My mother. She has been a great help throughout my life. She is more educated than me, a woman ahead of her times and I have learned a lot from her.

Q: What do your husband’s family have to say about your star status?
A: They are proud to have a celebrity in their family. I did not do anything that would bring them shame or anything of the sort.

Q:  Are you interested in politics?
A: If correct interpretation of politics is helping and reaching out to the people, then, yes, I am interested. After my children grow up, I do not want to while away my time. I want to do something for the poor, the downtrodden. I do not want any titles to the work I do. There are many small things that we can do in our own ways.

Q: What do you love the most?
A: GOD and DOG are my first loves - if you will pardon my phrase. I love animals and I believe they deserve as much dignity as the humans. I have four Pomerinians and I love them like my children.

Q: You do not like humans?
A: Humans are like chameleons, they change colours very fast.

Q: Do you believe in equal rights for women?
A: Yes, why not, they should have equal status, equal share.

Q: Can you recall any remarkable moments of your life?
A: I enjoyed every moment of it. Every day was a new learning experience. The fans, the adulation was also something that I learned to handle. Keeping your balance at all times was something important that I learned. It was a full career and I left at the right time.

Q: Are you very religious?
A: I am not a fanatic but as a Hindu, it is important for me to follow certain rituals in my Poojas. I am a pure vegetarian. We run after so many things but how much are we taking care of ourselves - the inner selves? If I cut off my hand it is not there but where is that ‘I’? What is that part that science still has not found an answer to? That is why I believe in god.

Q: What is your favorite outfit?
A: Sarees. A woman always looks good in a Saree. And other outfits may go out of fashion but Sarees will not and so it is a good investment.

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Fighting for animal rights.

Q: What is so special about you?
A: I am not afraid, not even of god because god is not someone to be feared. You do right Karma and nothing can harm you. I go for walks at four in the morning in Bombay and people ask me if I’m not afraid. No, I’m not. Why should I be afraid? r