Kafas actor Mona Singh says she’s seen parents trying to realise their acting dreams through their kids: ‘They quit their job…’

Mona Singh couldn’t believe her ears when casting director Mukesh Chhabra called her for Kafas. The actor jumped at the opportunity of playing a grey character for the first time. And above all, Mona said she was touched by the hard-hitting script, which touches upon male child abuse and pedophilia on screen. “These kinds of roles are rarely made. The writing, execution, and even acting; everything is top class,” she said.

Talking about how the show came her way, Mona Singh told indianexpress.com that Chhabra called her during Laal Singh Chadha to offer a ‘mind-blowing part’. She said that he told her how it is the strongest, with grey shades and multiple layers. “It’s complex and I was like, let’s do it. He said read it first and I was absolutely shocked. I met Sahil (director) and asked him how he planned to do it. I have never played something like this, otherwise, everyone just calls me for only brave, courageous, and positive parts. Hats off to the team for pulling off such a sensitive subject and dealing with it so gracefully. There is nothing overly dramatic, nothing is dragged, and also has a very strong message.”

When asked if she ever judged the character that she was playing, Mona dismissed it, saying, “I don’t judge my characters, and I don’t think even audiences do it now. They know we are actors and who we are in real life. Also, as an actor, it’s a dream to do such roles. I have been ready to explore and have a blast for a long time.”

In the show, her character Seema pushes her kids to become actors, in a bid to complete her unfulfilled dreams. Having been in the industry for such a long time, Mona said that she has seen parents pushing their dreams through their kids. “Some of them even quit their jobs to focus on their kids’ careers. Imagine the kind of pressure they put on their kids. Sometimes children are not even interested in acting. They do not even get to enjoy their childhood just because they are working towards their parents’ dream,” the actor said, adding that Seema too is vicariously trying to live her dreams through her kids. “And because of her stupid decision, her family breaks apart. So there’s an important message that let them be. Push them only if they are interested, other than let it be.”

The actor added that even when there is an ocean of content, TV and films still have the power to move people. Sharing how 3 Idiots helped the younger generation to stand up for themselves. “So many people said that nahi karni engineering, and showed the film to their parents. I think it is a moral duty for actors to do such projects once in a while which can inspire people. Even we have grown up idolosing actors, even in terms of style. We deal with emotions through songs, so every time there is a problem, we can go back to such films and learn how to deal with it.”

The SonyLIV show also discusses mental issues, a topic that’s still not discussed openly in society. Mona shared that as actors, they live with such an insecure job, which affects mental health all the more. “We are always thinking about how long we will have to wait. There is often a lull, and you think what to do. Earlier, I didn’t know but now I take the time to work on myself, travel and enjoy my hobbies. I still remember after Jassi I thought I will go back to Pune. I didn’t know what to do but with time you learn and realise life is all about ups and downs. It’s important that you realise what’s the problem and address it,” she shared.

When asked about whether it was the fear of losing work that gave her sleepless nights, Mona Singh quickly said, “Not at all. Sony had signed me immediately after Jassi as an exclusive talent and gave me all their big shows. It was my first show and I was close to everybody. When it ended, the next morning, my phone was not ringing, there was no call time and no one checking when I was reaching on set. There was silence and I was confused. It was my parents who sat me down, said you’ve just given your biggest show, now enjoy the moment, bask in it. What is meant to be, will come your way.”

On a final note, the actor also spoke about how people still call her ‘Jassi’ stating that she doesn’t even correct them. “It will always be a special show, and Jassi is my second name. Also, I cannot take that joy away from them, and I don’t even want to say that I am Mona, and not Jassi. The memory is so strong, and I too feel grateful about it. Something like this will never happen in a lifetime. I have gone on to do massive shows and movies but people feel happy calling me Jassi, and I am happy about that.”