Reema Lagoo's Daughter, Mrunmayee Turns Theatre Director

Mrunmayee Lagoo

Reema Lagoo

Reema Lagoo's daughter, Mrunmayee Lagoo has turned theatre director with Jake's Women. She talks to Aastha Atray Banan about what makes her tick and how she was hardly a tough taskmaster as director "I love a feel-good film. If it has a happy ending, I'm hooked," gushes Mrunmayee Lagoo, 24, who has made a successful transition from actor to director with Jake's Women. She has the genes to prove her metal. Daughter to Bollywood's favourite mother Reema Lagoo, and screenplay writer Vivek Lagoo, Mrunmayee is confident of her natural talent. After acting in Marathi movies for two years, and spending a year on the English theatre circuit, she knew she had to strike. And when she read Neil Simon's Jake's Women, it was clear — this was going to be her baby.

"I can't shout at all"

"It's a simple play. People in Mumbai will relate to it. Though it's set in New York, it's about people and their emotions, and what better place to set it in, than Mumbai," she says straightening the crease on her ethnic blue skirt. Mrunmayee says her decision to become an actor, and then director, had nothing o do with decisions. "It just happened. I had done a BMM from KC College, and interned at an advertising agency. But my heart was never there. I am happy only when I am acting or directing," she shrugs.Jake's Women stars Hidayat Sami, and is about a man's relationships with the five women in his life. Apart from Sami, the cast includes Ratnabalee Bhattachargee, Tahira Nath, Shivani Tanksale, Prerna Chawla, Dilshad Edibam and Shruti Vyas.Did Mrunmayee find it hard to lay down the law as director? At this point, she throws back her head and laughs. "You know what, I couldn't get myself to shout at all. They are all senior actors, and so good. They know their job. So, I sat with all of them individually, and told them how I saw each character, and they just took it from there. I gave them a free hand," she smiles.

Cinema VS theatre

Ask her about her goal, and she dishes a shy smile. "Making a movie, of course. But I don't know if that will happen." A pukka film buff, she watches every Bollywood film, good or bad, world cinema, and Hollywood hits, barring the gory ones. "I love the medium of cinema. The visuals, music, colours — they are enchanting. Even while I was directing Jake's Women, I was thinking of each scene as a frame in a movie, and then wondering how I'd translate it for the stage." Will she cast her mother in the movie she makes? "I would love to," she says, smiling mischievously, "But I am way too nervous."

Source: mid-day

Teaching Amma: Esha Deol Teaches Mom How to Ride a Scooter

It was a sight that the Goans won't forget in a hurry. To bring in her birthday on November 2, Esha invited her mom Hema Malini and sister Ahana to Goa where she is shooting for Shivum Nair's Exchange Offer. Esha decided to have fun with her mom. "I taught her how to ride a scooter. Ahana and I know how to. But mom doesn't."

B'day fun
In the mood for fun with her two daughters, Hema let herself go on her daughter's birthday. Says Hema, "Both my daughters know how to ride the Scooty. I didn't. It was great fun. I'm rediscovering my childhood with my daughters." Hours later, Esha does a recap of the day, "It was just the three of us me, Mom and my sister. By some sad coincidence, I'm shooting for almost all my birthdays. Last night too, I shot the whole night. But I did cut a cake on the sets."

That apart, having her mom and sister over is the best birthday gift Esha could hope for. Papa Dharmendra called. She says, "He also sent me a very nice watch that mom and he have gifted me together. It's a very chunky and sporty watch. The small jewellery watches tend to get lost on my wrist. So I specifically told my parents what I want. Better to be clear beforehand than to go wrong with the gift, no?"