Pretty and talented

She doesn’t mince words and she knows what she is cut out for. Here’s Diganta Guha profiling young actress Manjari Fadnis who sounds choosy, yet determined

To call her new in the film world would be wrong. Manjari Fadnis has already spent five years in the film industry making her debut in Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s directorial disaster Rok Sako To Rok Lo in 2004.  But little did we hear about her (she also starred in Mumbai Salsa that released in 2007), until a surprise package called Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na happened last year. Meanwhile she has dabbled in regional films ----- she did Anjan Das’ Bengali film Faltu (2006) that got her critical acclaim, but it had to be the Aamir Khan- production that launched his nephew Imran Khan, which brought her into the limelight, somewhat. Why do we say so? Well, wasn’t the film all about Imran and Genelia D’Souza? Even the promos ignored you buddy. 

The pretty and soft-spoken girl however, gives you a mature reply. “Was I disappointed? Yes I was not part of the promotion and that would have really helped. But the production house didn’t want to give the impression that the film was a love triangle. It wanted my entry as a surprise package. Personally it didn’t work for me, but I did get recognition in the form of the Stardust Award for my breakthrough performance. So, in one sense, it did get me noticed,” says Manjari. Just to revive your memory, in Jaane Tu… Manjari played Meghna with whom

Jai (Imran) falls in love only to realise that his true love lies elsewhere.

However, Manjari has bagged a project that must have turned many of the so-called bigger names envious of her. Wanna know what? It’s a Walt Disney Film, Jokkomone where she has replaced none other than Ghajini star Asin. Prod Manjari on this, but it doesn’t pay off. “I am strictly not allowed to speak on the film,” comes her reply.

Manjari may still be trying hard to cement her place in Bollywood, but down South, she is already a force to reckon with. Two of her forthcoming releases are a Tamil movie, Mutthirai opposite Nitin Satya and a Telugu project titled Inkosari opposite Telugu superstar Raja. She shot to fame down South with Siddhu from Sikakulam. Was it a conscious decision to look southwards, we ask her. “I was waiting for Jaane Tu… to release and being without work that time would have made me mad. So, I started doing Southern films that are technically so sound. It’s been quite an enjoyable experience,” she answers.

Coming back to Hindi films, Manjari doesn’t have any regret as such. And she says that it’s her selective nature that hasn’t landed her with too many projects. “I am very slow and instinctive.” But what about offers from big production houses, even if the roles are not lengthy enough? “Obviously I wouldn’t say no to somebody like Yash Chopra. In fact, I have already been approached by some big production houses,” answers Manjari who is also looking forward to Saurabh Shukla’s I am 24 (Hindi) which is being produced by Chaudhuri’s Planman Motion Pictures. The film is slated to release this year and has actors like Ranbir Shorey, Neha Dhupia, Lilette Dubey apart from Manjari. However, she does say that had Manoj Tyagi’s Mumbai Salsa worked, she would have been in a much better position. “It got good reviews, but it didn’t establish me,” says Manjari.      

But the future looks bright as of now. And Manjari is hopeful that her time will come. And she wants to keep the balance between mainstream and middle-of-the-road cinema. Directors who have worked with her hold her in high esteem. Her experience with Faltu (where she had a no make-up look portraying a village girl) has done her confidence a world of good. And she has an interesting anecdote to share. “After the screening of Faltu, there were some in the audiences who were talking highly about me. I was very much around, but they did not notice me and then somebody introduced them to me. And I just loved their reaction,” she says.

Slow and steady is her mantra and she is going to stick to it. We wish her all success.