Actress Interview

"I fall, I learn, I grind, I rise"- Maanta Dewan

Her passion is infectious from the word go. She emotes a unique vibe that truly represents her. Maanta Dewan speaks with so much soul that it gives you the feeling of looking into your reflection in a still water pond where there is clarity abound. She spoke to us about how personal work is to her, how significant family is and how necessary failure is
What’s been one of your most memorable ads so far?
Well, I can’t really pick one. But so far there are three that I really enjoyed shooting. The first one is a Sri Lankan ad for Ikman.lk which was shot by directors who specially flew down from Germany for this shoot. Also, I recently saw that it has crossed over 1,00,000 views on YouTube and has become quite a rage in Sri Lanka. It was shot in English as well as in Sinhala (the official language of Sri Lanka). I enjoyed shooting for it, because all I had to do was smile and dance (two of my favourite things), and they wanted me to dance like crazy!
 
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhKyqiiPnak&hd=1]
 
The second one was an ad for Kotak Bank. It went viral and is quite funny.
 
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJHEury8tPA]
 
The third one was an ad for Nykaa.com. It shows the quintessential brother-sister bond and was released this Raksha Bandhan. The script really appealed to me. It shows me transform from a tomboy to a girl-next-door. I enjoyed playing basket ball, cycling and eating a lot of chocolate at the shoot. Also, I must mention, the team was young and passionate. They made work much more fun (smiles)
 
The pretty Maanta Dewan
The pretty Maanta Dewan
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vatpitVowg]
Which city do you belong to and what’s the one thing about the city that makes you stay?
I have been born in the city of dreams – Mumbai! I always say that I am blessed and grateful to God for it. I love this city. I see so many people coming from all parts of the country to live here, away from their families. It is difficult indeed. There are many things that make me stay here, but most importantly it is my family (my mom and my sister – just can’t do without them) and my work. The former is my strength and the latter is my love. I have traveled to many places, but there is definitely no place like home. Also, I love the freedom and safety in this city. I can travel independently here, shoot at odd hours and still feel safe. I think Mumbai is infectious. As Mr. Yash Chopra said, “Once you start living here, I don’t think you can live anywhere else.” Also, once I start talking about my city, it is difficult to stop me 😛 Mumbai Meri Jaan!
The visionary Maanta Dewan
The visionary Maanta Dewan
Are you an ambitious person? What does the word success mean to you?
Yes. I am! Work and family are the two main priorities in my life, and I am a workaholic. I love and enjoy my work, and with every passing day my commitment keeps increasing. I am passionate about what I do. It gives me such a high, I can’t explain (winks)
Success to me is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. To me, it is about hustling, and going from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm. I fall, I learn, I grind, I rise. As insane as it may sound, failure is my favourite part of the process, as it teaches me more important life lessons and makes me who I am. Not very long ago, I used to be extremely camera-shy and lacked confidence. To be honest, I never thought I would ever face the camera. I used to run away from it. I was afraid of it! I was so terrified to even audition, let alone shooting. But failure has been my companion and has taught me a lot. I believe in walking through each failure without losing passion on my way to success, and something very important which my dad has inspired me to do – work hard! I still remember his words “karam karo, phal ki chinta mat karo” from the Bhagwad Gita. He was an avid reader and it is because of him that I read and motivate myself. I wonder if he was here with me today, would he be proud of me, and this thought further motivates me to keep going! (smiles)
All is full of love: Maanta Dewan
All is full of love: Maanta Dewan
What are some of your favourite brands?
I am not very brand conscious as such. I do believe in quality, but it’s not necessary that only brands provide that. When it comes to clothing, comfort comes first for me. Overall personality, confidence and the attitude of a person is more handy than a label. I like shopping from London, Bangkok, and the streets in India. I like mixing, matching, and even cutting and styling clothes. I have also studied fashion and accessory designing, so I tend to cut my tops into cool crop tops and my old jeans into hot shorts. I love being crazy and creative.
 
Maanta Dewan
Maanta Dewan
Any movies in the offing?
There have been a few offers from the South, but I am selective and want to choose a good project. I think patience is the key and I am willing to wait before I sign the right movie. I have my fingers crossed. I am looking forward to working in a cute teenage rom-com. I love films with happy endings. Currently, I am shooting for print and TVCs, episodic projects and short films. You can also see me in a new show on Zindagi channel this month, where I play a 16-year-old. I play the younger version of one of the lead protagonists in the flashback section. Now, you see, my onscreen age is still 16-17, so I guess that makes me a child artist (Lol, now don’t ask me my real age ;)) I have also been offered a few TV shows, but I am not too keen on doing them. I am being slow and steady now, and exploring more options!
 
Maanta Dewan for Loreal
Maanta Dewan for Loreal
A person you look up to in the fashion/acting industry?
There are many I look up to and admire. It is a long list: legendary actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Aamir Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi, Late Divya Bharti and in recent times Nawazuddin Siddiqui. His persistence and passion for his craft is simply extraordinary. I played the role of his daughter in the movie Aatma. Unfortunately, we did not get to shoot together, but having worked in the same movie as him is something I am grateful for and proud of. Here is the scene where I am celebrating my 18th birthday (the climax of the film)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCM6KCZBhQg&hd=1]
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