Tanya Maniktala says Mira Nair suggested her to be selective with movie choices

PTI, Apr 30, 2023, 4:45 PM IST

Mumbai: Actor Tanya Maniktala says “A Suitable Boy” director Mira Nair had advised her to not get swayed by the offers that might come her way after the success of Netflix’s critically-acclaimed series.

The Delhi-born actor said working with Nair on the 2020 BBC show, based on Vikram Seth’s 1993 novel of the same name, was an ”enriching” experience.

“One thing that Mira di told me was ‘Post ‘A Suitable Boy’, things are going to come your way, be selective of whatever you do, choose good roles’. ”Things were offered but there was always that choice as an actor whether you want to be part of it or not. I am happy with the choices that I have made. Also, post ‘A Suitable Boy’, that acting keeda (bug) got bigger,” Maniktala told PTI.

Her latest release is also a Netflix series “Tooth Pari: When Love Bites”. Billed as a romantic fantasy thriller, the show follows the love story of a vampire called Rumi (Maniktala), and a dentist named Roy (Shantanu Maheshwari).

As a fan of vampire love stories such as Stephenie Meyers’ ”Twilight” book series, the actor said she wanted to be a part of “Tooth Pari”.

“… I had never seen something like a vampire falling in love with a dentist. Besides, the story is layered with other emotions. There is fantasy and romance. I wanted to be a part of a love story and this was one. It is a twisted story,” she added. In the Kolkata-set series, created and directed by Pratim Dasgupta, Maniktala plays Rumi, a character she describes as ”cool and aggressive”.

“I wanted to tap into all these emotions. I loved reading the story but I was not sure if it was going to be everybody’s cup of tea, so it was a big risk,” she said.

The actor will next make her Hindi film debut with Santosh Sivan’s “Mumbaikar”, alongside Vijay Sethupathi and Vikrant Massey. The team has completed the shoot and Maniktala said the makers will soon announce the release date.