Mouli Ganguli (aka Shaina of Kahin Kisi Roz fame) has ended her year long hiatus from work. However, she hasn’t returned to television but she’s set to resurrect her short filmy career. After making her Bollywood debut in the Ajay Devgan-Aishwarya starrer Raincoat, Mouli has bagged a prominent role in ‘It’s a man’s world’- a film on male prostitution.

Elaborating on her character, she says, “I play Arundathi who is a simple girl from Kolkata. She travels to Mumbai in search of a better job. She befriends one of the five male protagonists. Unfortunately, that’s all I can reveal.”

Pic by Mitesh Bhuvad

Do you have a substantial role in a male dominated subject like this? Mouli responds, “It (title) can be taken sarcastically too. Though Arundathi is not the central character, she’s very much an integral part of it.” So, will she be playing the love interest to one of the males? She replies, “There’s an unsaid story but it definitely isn’t love.”

Did she have any inhibitions while accepting the film? The Bong beauty answers, “The subject is dicey but the moment I read the script, I gave my nod to it. After all, it’s being directed by Saurabh Sengupta with whom I’ve worked previously. He’s one of the finest directors in the industry and so I had full faith in his vision.”

Male prostitution is a sensitive issue which has not clicked with the Indian audiences. Indian society is open to viewing subjects on female exploitation but when it comes to the opposite sex, it evokes sharp reactions. Wouldn’t this film be subject to the same criticism?

Mouli chides, “Firstly, let me assure you that there is not a single bold scene in this film. It’s totally wrong to compare it with Ooops! We are not making a documentary on male prostitution. One needs to watch the film to find the difference.”

Apart from It’s a man’s world, Mouli also has offers for other films but she remained tight-lipped about them. With her film career blossoming, is she bidding good bye to television. “No. I haven’t quit TV. I’m still open to taking any good role that comes my way. It’s just that I was tired of doing the same stuff and wanted to be versatile. A few channels have cropped up claiming to showcase different content but I still see no difference. Again, if you get a good script, there is no guarantee that it will remain the same. In television, you’re never given an A to Z script,” quips Mouli.

Out of action for a year, Mouli made the most of this break. “After many years, I could concentrate on my dancing. I learnt Kathak when I was six years old. However once, I started to work rigorously, I couldn’t find time for kathak. I also indulged in lot of reading and even returned to theatre. I’m currently doing a play called Kahani Main Twist Hai. Now that I’ve recharged my batteries, it’s time to get back to work.”