Mrunal Thakur begins the conversation with “Can I be honest or can I be honest?”, thus setting the tone for the chat. Her recent release, Toofaan, may have opened to mixed reviews, but she is glad that it resonated with a section of the audience. “For me, [the true] critics are my friends, family and audience. So when people, who have lost their loved ones [in recent times], text me saying that the emotions [depicted on screen] hit home, it’s a job well done.

Validation doesn’t come from social media numbers, but from [whether] your work has made a difference to people. I believe films are meant to inspire people,” she says.