Exclusive! Kafas' Mona Singh: OTT actors know that they may not get such good roles in Bollywood films

Mona Singh, who stars in the web series Kafas, began her career by breaking norms in her debut television serial, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, which became a superhit overnight. After proving her mettle with each project, the actor says there are more exciting and meatier roles available in web shows when compared to mainstream Bollywood films.

Her roles in two of Aamir Khan's films, 3 Idiots and Laal Singh Chaddha, are widely remembered, so I asked her for her take on the kind of roles that are up for grabs for actresses in their late 30s and early 40s.

Mona told OTTplay, "OTT platforms are allowing every story to flourish, and that has changed the narrative of Indian content. But this is not the case in mainstream Bollywood films, where women are still shown as damsels in distress. In the web space, female characters are exciting. We get to see women in uniform, mothers who are excelling at the workplace, etc. Seeing such characters in web series is really inspirational because, in reality, women are doing it all. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have imagined anyone writing a serial killer character for a Tilottoma Shome. Women have needed such chances to showcase their talent, and it is finally happening now."

After Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, in the past, Mona was seen in shows like Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain, M.O.M. - Mission Over Mars, Black Widows, and films like 3 Idiots and Laal Singh Chaddha.  

Asked if she thinks that there is more experimentation in the web space than in commercial Bollywood films, Mona said, "When I started my career in TV, there were interesting female parts being written for TV serials but not Bollywood films. Back then, Bollywood film heroines were mostly beautiful women who were dancing around the trees. My show (Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi) was a female-led show. These days, such experiments are taking place in the OTT space. That is why wonderful actresses are getting a chance to play characters that they know they may not get in a mainstream, masala Bollywood film. I am not saying that such female characters will not be written for mainstream Bollywood films, but they are few and far between. But OTT is the platform for all of us."

The six-episode web series Kafas, directed by Sahil Sangha, also stars Sharman Joshi, Mikail Gandhi, Mukesh Chhabra, and Zarina Wahab. it is available to stream on SonyLIV.