Mrunal Thakur: Have been bothered by stalking since my growing-up years

Mrunal, who plays the titular role in Pooja Meri Jaan, says film shows how stalking constitutes harassment

Playing a titular role is a responsibility that Mrunal Thakur takes seriously. The actor says that though she got multiple offers of titular parts after her debut Hindi film Love Sonia (2018), she didn’t consider them until Pooja Meri Jaan came her way. Navjot Gulati’s directorial venture addresses the issue of stalking. “After Love Sonia, I waited for a film that I could shoulder. Everyone told me that I have to do [a titular role]. But I didn’t until Pooja Meri Jaan came along. The film is important to me. It explores the subject of stalking that I have seen and been bothered by ever since my growing-up years,” says Thakur.

With the upcoming film, also starring Huma Qureshi, Thakur hopes to open a dialogue about how stalking constitutes harassment. While there is much debate about the impact of cinema, following the polarising reactions to Animal, she believes that movies must go beyond entertainment. “It is equally important to educate the audience. There are films like Love Sonia and Super 30 [2019] where we are attempting to educate the audience on certain subjects. Entertainment is great, but what we learn from movies is equally important.”

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