Manisha was sceptical about playing Ranbir’s mom

Actor Manisha Koirala (far right) who made a comeback with the film Dear Maya, after a hiatus of almost five years will now reprise the role of yesteryear actor Nargis Dutt, in the yetto-be-titled biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt. Ranbir Kapoor (inset) is playing the lead in the film. She says, “Playing Nargisji is a huge responsibility and a compliment at the same time. I just hope I did a good job. I am still keeping my fingers crossed.”

About the preparations for the role, Manisha says, “Honestly, I didn’t read much about her but I saw a documentary on her, which Hirani showed me, so I could follow a little bit of mannerism that she had.”

So was she apprehensive about playing Ranbir’s mother on-screen? “Well initially, indeed yes, I had that fear. But the moment I thought in my head that I am primarily playing Nargis Dutt and not just Ranbir’s mother, that thought overshadowed everything,” says the 46-yearold actor.

Asked if in the future, she will be comfortable playing the role of an elderly person on-screen, she adds, “It totally depends on who the director is, the story and what is my role in the film. Even for Dear Maya, I was made to look totally deglamorised and way too ugly, but I took up the role because it was challenging enough for me. So if it interests me, I’m fine playing a 70-year-old with grey hair and wrinkles on my face.”