She is Manasi Rachh and there is no numerology involved in her name! She was born and brought up in a very traditional Gujarati family in Sion, Mumbai. After pursuing her studies junior college from R. A Podar College, Matunga, She graduated in Bachelors of Mass Media (B.M.M) from Wilson College with a major in Advertising.
Wondering how she came to pursue her Bollywood dream? Read on her story!
Q) Did you aspire to become an actor? If not, then tell us how did it happen?
A) I used to fantasize about becoming an actor as a kid. I am sure most kids do. My father is a violinist in the film industry. He has played with the likes of Kalyanji Anandji, Laxmikant Pyarelal etc. We would often get invited to big filmy weddings. I remember seeing Amitabh Bachchan, Amir Khan, Juhi Chawla, Anil Kapur often at these weddings. As soon as the actors would arrive, the crowd would leave everything they were doing and rush to them. I always fantasized how cool it would be if I was one of them. Although it was not that often. My family gave utmost importance to studies, and I grew up as quite a nerd. After graduating, I interned with Saatchi and Saatchi as a copywriter as I was always inclined towards writing. I soon realised that my passion lay not in copywriting but actually film making. Soon I started assisting directors. And from there on, it all started.
Q) When did you actually realize that people have started perceiving you as an actor?
A) After the first show, I started doing all the shows of a play I was once offered. They even cast me in a second play. I was replacing an actor who was busy with some shooting commitment. I still didn’t think I wanted to be an actor though. This was the most confused phase of my life. In a parallel way, I left my ad film job and started working with a full-time writer. After almost a year, I got a call that my first play had got selected for the NSD festival and we had to go to Delhi. I remember travelling to Delhi, feeling all rusted as an actor. All the other actors were always confident as they were acting in several other plays at any given point of time. I remember getting jitters sitting in the greenroom before the show. Towards the end of the show, when they were introducing the actors, they announced my name. The audience applauded and cheered the longest for me. It was almost unreal. It was a different high. I guess the sound of that applause stayed with me for many days to come. I went back to writing and soon started missing that high. Someone then told me that Sunil Shanbag, a renowned theatre director was looking for actors for his new play. After meeting Sunil a few times, I landed with a central part in a beautiful play called ‘Walking to the Sun’. This play was the turning point of my life, and I decided to pursue acting henceforth.
Q) Your film “Student Of The Year” gained fair amount of popularity, tell us how did you get a role in it?
A) After “Walking to the Sun”, I struggled to get work in films and ads. I remember going for 4-5 auditions a day, and not landing with a single job. Almost a year later. I landed with a role in this film called ‘Mujhse fraandship karoge’. While filming for the film, I got a call from Nandini Shrikent’s office. They were casting for Talaash then. I had a really good audition, but I didn’t get the part. After a few months, I got a call again and this time it was for Student of The Year. After two rounds of audition, Nandini called me personally and told me that Karan Johar had liked me for the character of Shruti and I need to go and sign the contract the coming week.
Q) How was your experience of working with big names in “Student of the year”?
It was amazing! Karan Johar is a school in himself. Watching Rishi Kapoor perform was once in a lifetime experience. Although I guess I learned the most from Ram Kapoor and Boman Irani. They are not just great actors, but the most warm, humble human beings one can come across. They are so happy and positive all the time that it radiates and it’s almost contagious.
Q) Being an actor at the time of cut-throat competition, how does one survive?
A) I think you have to hopelessly be an optimist! There is no other choice. Also one has to learn to be resilient.
Q) What would you be doing if you were not an actress?
A) I would either be writing or directing.
Q) Advice for aspirants.
A) Keep at it. Perseverance pays. And on the way, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses 🙂
Also read “Simple Yet Profound! Zee TV Show Sethji’s “Baaji Rao” Lead Actor, Avinash Mishra Shares His Secrets“
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