It took two decades of sheer hard work and determination for actor and producer Manasi Parekh to win not one but three National Film Awards for her Gujarati film ‘Kutch Express’ (2023). She marked her acting debut with ‘India Calling’ and went on to feature in shows like ‘Gulaal’ and ‘Sumit Sambhal Lega’. In an exclusive interaction with mid-day.com, Manasi gets candid about her journey in showbiz and why she chose the regional route instead of pursuing the typical Bollywood dream. 

Manasi Parekh on breaking the glass ceiling 

Manasi Parekh, who switched to production likens the process to parenting. She explains, “I have a lot of grit, and being a mother has made me grittier. Once you become a parent, no challenge is big enough. I became a parent at the same time that I became a producer. I think parenting and production are pretty similar. Every day there's a new challenge. No matter how prepared you are, something will go wrong. And both require tremendous amounts of patience. Mansi is somebody who is a quintessential underdog. You cannot slot me in any box because a lot of people were like, ‘You're married, you have a daughter, how are you going to continue your career?’, especially in an industry that is looks-obsessed, age-obsessed.”