Manasi Joshi Roy: Comparisons with Anupamaa don’t worry me; every actor brings her own flavour

Manasi Joshi Roy believes in choosing her work carefully, which explains the considerable gap between her television projects. Last seen in Kyunki Saas Maa Bahu Beti Hoti Hai, the actress is now returning to the small screen after more than a year with Lakshmi Niwas, in which she plays the titular character.

She says, “The most obvious reason for me to take up this show is that I am playing the title role of Lakshmi. It’s wonderful because ageism is a thing in our industry. At my age, being offered shows centered around me truly excites me. Television had reached a phase where older couples were shown only as parents to the leads. Whenever I got such offers, I would ask, ‘Theek hai, hero ya heroine ki maa hai, lekin woh kuchh karti hai kya? Does she have a graph or drive the story?’ I am against being used as a prop in a show.

I don’t want to just be in a scene for the sake of it; my character has to be pivotal to the storyline.”

Talking about her new show, she adds, “Lakshmi Niwas is a lovely story about an older couple with grown-up children who still share a strong sense of romance. The husband dreams of building a home for his wife, and together they also dream of settling their children. These are not just the dreams of the middle class or lower middle class; they are universal dreams that cut across every social strata.”

The actress feels that television has finally started to evolve in its portrayal of mature characters. She says, “Shows like Anupamaa have paved the way for older actresses to headline stories again, which makes complete sense because television audiences today are primarily middle-aged women, while the youth has moved to OTT.” Since Lakshmi Niwas also revolves around a mature couple, much like Anupamaa, is she ready for comparisons? Manasi replies, “Competition is healthy. I feel the comparison will be between the content of the shows because as actors, everyone brings something of their own to the table. So, actors can’t be compared because that’s like comparing apples and oranges. The only common thread is that we are slightly older women playing mature roles.

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