Taking life less seriously

Model-actor Lisa Ray is back in a Hindi movie after a long break. She speaks of moving between homes in Mumbai and Hong Kong, prioritising her life after her cancer diagnosis, and how actors can’t live in a bubble

Going out and having fun Lisa Ray

Lisa Ray became a fine example of how to deal with life’s unfairness — with grace and beauty — when she went public with her battle against multiple myeloma (a rare blood cancer). Dealing with cancer has given her one important takeaway, says Lisa: “I think it’s very simple, and I think it’s important to be simple; or we just over-complicate things. By facing my own mortality I have come to understand what is important. Just focus on that. And what is not important just drops away. It’s as simple as that. I’m very clear about what my values, my priorities are.”

After a long hiatus, she’s back in a Hindi film, Ishq Forever that releases today. She said yes to the film, because it was being produced by old friend Shabbir Boxwala. “I also found the role interesting, because I play a RAW agent. I am 43 today and I want to see more characters of women my age, who are represented on the big screen — not just as a mother, or an adjunct to a male character. This is a really strong independent kickass woman who is actually kicking men’s butts as well! But also cancer has made me take myself a little less seriously. And I said ‘let me go out there and have fun as well’ and that’s another motive behind doing this film, you can say.”

Lisa says she enjoyed working on a film like this, “which is obviously much more commercial film than I’ve ever done before”. She admits she’s previously chosen fairly serious subjects and projects, and loved them, because they have been fulfilling. “Like a lot of the best things in my life, this film chose me,” she smiles, in Bengaluru to promote the film. “When you’re an actor, it’s always in you, and there is always that impulse or desire to perform. But I had obviously put acting on the backseat for a few years, post my cancer and all that. But I was doing other things, like hosting TV shows, which I felt were not as strenuous on me as cinema.”

Lisa has completed another Hindi film

Zahhak , which will be releasing later this year. She says she will always make time for cancer awareness projects. She shot for a travel show in Europe last year, and before that had been hosting Top Chef Canada on TV a few seasons. “I am writing a book as well. It’s autobiographical… a memoir. I have a finished the manuscript and am changing the narrative and re-editing. I was approached by a publisher a few years ago. So it’s an ongoing project. But I had to sit on it a little while to get a better perspective on how to tell the story; I know what the story is, but the how was important.”

Lisa also makes a very valid case for having a life beyond work. “I also want to emphasise that I have a big life outside of this business. I don’t believe in being plugged into this business all the time. It’s a wonderful place to be in because I don’t have to work, I choose to work. So I can choose projects that are meaningful to me for one reason or the other. I have a lot of other interests and I think it’s important that as an actor to keep one foot on the ground. How can you interpret characters successfully if you’re living in a little bubble?”

Lisa has always considered herself a cross-cultural phenomenon, being born and raised in Canada by a Bengali father and a Polish mother, and having travelled and lived the world over. Last year she decided to set up homes in Hong Kong (with husband Jason Dehni) and in Mumbai too. “I have a lovely life in Hong Kong where I am Mrs. Dehni and I collect art, I go on hikes, we have a puppy. When I’m in India it’s a totally different lifestyle and I enjoy that too. I love shuttling between the two places. For me, it would be very strange if I’m only settled in one city. Some people ask me where do you live and I say ‘Here, there and everywhere.’ For me that’s the person I am and that’s the kind of lifestyle I’ve chosen consciously,” she cheerfully concludes.