Happy Vibes Only! Mrunal Thakur

The rains are here and everything looks fresh and energized. For this very reason, we could not think of a better name for our cover this month than Mrunal Thakur. One look at her social media feed and you will be instantly floored by the gorgeous actress’ glorious smile and joyful demeanor. Making her foray into acting with a stint in television, she made a successful transition to the big screen with movies such as Love Sonia, Super 30 and Batla House. Her next, Toofaan with Farhan Akhtar has released now on Amazon Prime Video and Mrunal can’t wait to see the audience’s reaction. The lovely actress spoke to TMM about her journey in acting so far…

Tell us a bit about your childhood days. What was Mrunal like before she became an actress?
With my father being a government employee, my family moved around a lot when I was a child. I have changed 11 schools in my life. I have lived in a couple of remote areas and small towns. I have lived in the middle of farms, and even next to a canal. My father ensured we got everything we needed. When he got posted to Bombay, we were really afraid. I was a teenager at that time and was a bit aggressive. I felt bad about leaving my friends and shifting to Bombay and I remember telling him that he is ruining my life and career.

I was very shy and lacked confidence, but after coming to Bombay, I was exposed to the metropolitan way of life. One of the reasons I have so much confidence today is because I was amongst people who were very confident. I learned from them. I was in the 11th or 12th standard by then and I went up to my father and told him that I take my words back. It was just that I was scared and I did not want to leave my friends and my comfort zone. What I learned from my father is that your growth lies in taking risks, moving forward , and sometimes, saying bye to your comfort zone. From that day onward, there was no looking back. Although I was fascinated with movies, I knew there was no scope there, but I wanted to face the camera once in my life. I took up Bachelors of Mass Media. A call came for an audition and I’m glad that television happened for me. Since I didn’t want to get stuck in my comfort zone again, I tried movies. That’s how the journey began.

You have worked with some of the biggest stars including Hrithik Roshan and John Abraham and now, you have Toofaan with Farhan Akhtar and Jersey with Shahid Kapoor. Can you share some of your learnings from them?
All the actors I have worked with are so experienced. When they share stories about being on set and working with different directors, it always helps me understand the process better because every film shoot is different; every film’s journey is different. A few films are extremely easy to shoot and some are very difficult. Learning about their experience always helps and pushes me to perform better. All my co-actors have been very kind to me. I am very enthusiastic and curious to explore new things. I have learnt a lot from all of them and I’m really grateful to them.

Are you disappointed that Toofaan is not getting a theatrical release or happy that it will now be seen across the world?
Of course, I am sad that it will not release on a big screen but we have to consider the situation that we are in, and that it’s not really safe for people to go to cinemas. The entire team ensured that the film is available for people to watch at the click of a button. I am grateful and happy for that. The plus point is that it will be watched all over the world. The world has become smaller now because the content is available on OTT platforms. This film deserves to reach its audience. I know the audience will like it and be entertained. This is the time when people really want to watch good content and I can vouch that Toofaan is definitely a film to watch out for.

In 2020, you had one release with the anthology Ghost Stories. Toofaan is a big release for you. Tell us about your expectations from this movie.
All my friends and family have been telling me that your career is in for a big change after this film but I am only thinking how wonderful Farhan is in the movie. I can’t wait for the audience to watch him because I have been on the sets to witness his marvellous performance. As for myself, I had thought that I will get to work with a director like Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra after at least a decade of working in films but I am lucky enough to be able to work with the wonderful combination of Rakeyshji and Farhan in the initial stage of my career. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that people like my work.

A look at your social media feed is a glimpse into your world which looks so real and grounded. Your smile reflects your happiness. Tell us how you manage to keep that freshness and exuberance alive?
There is only one answer to this. I feel that my happiness belongs to me.  I don’t depend on anyone to make me happy. I had it clear in my mind right from my teen days that if I want to be happy, I will have to make the effort for it. If I don’t decide for myself, someone else is going to make decisions for me, so either I act on it or I sit and crib which is not what I want to do. People say there is so much competition in this profession but I don’t care who is doing what. I only care about what people around me are doing.  I have only three friends who are equivalent to 3000 but I make sure I am always surrounded by people who motivate and encourage me. That’s one of the reasons I feel I am always happy and smiling.

Your skin also reflects the happiness you feel within. How do you maintain it, especially in the rains?
There is one thing we don’t really do very often and that is to wash our face. There is so much accumulation of dust and sweat because of the humidity. I wash my face many times during the day. Also, you need to take off that extra make-up before going to bed, whether it is a kajal or a lip balm. You have to allow your skin to breathe. The other two things that I do to take care of my skin are to drink a lot of water and not miss my vitamins. I exercise twice a day which makes my skin flourish.

You have grown-up witnessing the Mumbai rains. What do you associate the rains with?
Most people want to stay indoors but that is the time I want to step out, especially going for a run. If I feel a little cold, I just pop an ice cream (laughs). Monsoons also remind me of a lot of Bollywood music of the 90s. That’s the time when the old khazana of music comes out.

Rapid Fire

Favourite rain song: Tum Se Hi from Jab We Met
Favourite travel destination: London and LA
A dish that best describes you: Puran Poli, Kheer, and Amti Bhaat, so you have everything – sweet, sour and spicy!
On a day off… I end up watching four movies at a stretch. People around me say that my eyes will be exhausted by the end but I am game for it!
Cats or dogs? Animals
Three beauty essentials: Lip balm, sunscreen and moisturizer
Favourite clothing: I love high-waisted, formal pants worn with a crop top or singlet.
Colour that looks great on you: Yellow|
Movie you can re-watch anytime: Matrix and Harry Potter
Favourite quote or motto: Whatever happens, happens for the best, so just enjoy the process.

Words: Deepali Singh

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