Suhasini Mulay is a legend in the film world in her own right, but rarely will you find the veteran actor talking about herself. The artiste, has made 60 documentaries in her 26 year long career, besides having worked with Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen in a host of films. The Delhi born and bred actor has five national awards to her credit and is now content, juggling her life between her documentaries, films and television.

Kavita Shyam catches the lady for a heart to heart chat

How did you start in the film world?
I acted in in Mrinal Sen's Bhuvan Shome as a 16 year old (in 1969) and went to Canada to study for a while. I came back and went on to assist Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen and finally got on to making numerous documentaries. I did a little bit of theatre but finally I stuck to films and television and documentaries.

Tell us about the work have you done for TV and films?
I am doing Piya Ka Ghar where I play a nasty woman in a wheelchair and am doing DJ's new show Jab Love Ho Gaya. I have done Virasat on Sahara besides Shagun, Life Nahi Hai Laddu, Maan, Gharkul and Piya Ka Ghar.
In films, I have done Hu Tu Tu (which fetched her a national award), Dil Chahta Hai, Lagaan, Humraaz and Kuch Na Kaho.

What is your role like in Jab Love Ho Gaya?

I play this powerful mother called Gayatri Devi, who is lovingly called GD and is a mother of three and has to run back to the village from the city due to raids in her office caused by the indiscreent activities of her inefficient son. It's a nice emotional story with comic elements in it.

What else in the pipeline for you?
I am making a documentary film based on border politics, it's basically looking at the hostile borders for which I am shooting near Jodhpur. In fact, we also organized a peace rally and I am hoping to complete it by July next year.

Tell us about your docu making team and the films you have made?
We are a team of five people and hire extra people as and when we are working on a docu film. We have offices in Mumbai, Baroda and Delhi but I prefer to work from home and don't have an office in Mumbai.
The documentaries I have made and fetched me national awards were An Indian Story which was based on the Bhagalpur blindings, Bhopal Beyond Genocide which was based on the Bhopal gas tragedy and Chithi which was based on education besides there was Official Art Form, based on paintings.

What films are you doing now?
I am doing Naseerudin Shah's new film where I play a failed dancer. I am also a part of Life Ho To Aisi where I play Shaheed Kapoor's grandma which was fun as I got into physical fights with Sharad Saxena.

So you have no plans of getting married?
I did not find anybody worth getting married to. Once you get married, you have to think about children and lot of other responsibilities and since I was not ready for it so it did not happen....