Manasi Parekh on Gujarati cinema: My contribution has been to push the bar for female-oriented scripts

Reflecting on her latest role in ‘Shubhchintak’, Manasi discussed the diversity of characters she has portrayed over the years.

“In Kutch Express, I played a very docile wife. In Jhamkudi, I was a witch haunting a village. In Dear Father, I portrayed a stubborn daughter-in-law who refuses to listen to her father-in-law’s perspective,” she said.

Adding on to it, she says, “However, my character in Shubhchintak is something entirely different. I play a girl who honey-traps a rich boy to avenge her brother’s death. Every role I take on is different, and this one is something I’ve never done before.”

She said that there are a lot of action stunts that she hadn’t attempted previously.

“Presenting new challenges for me as a performer. Meghna’s character has truly been an amazing role to play, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”

Talking about the evolution of regional cinema, she said: “More and more people are watching films in regional languages. In Gujarati cinema, so many new films are being made, and I think my contribution has been to push the bar for female-oriented scripts and ensure strong female characters are represented.”

She acknowledges that the industry has historically offered very few roles for women. While challenges remain, Manasi is committed to overcoming them by investing in scripts that feature female protagonists.

“There are more female parts being written now, and I believe I have something to contribute as an actor. As producers, Parthiv and I are trying to make it cooler for the new generation to speak Gujarati, sing Gujarati songs, and watch Gujarati films. We truly believe that this change is happening, and that’s our contribution,” she concluded.