Graceful and composed, Meenakshi Seshadri, the star of films like Hero & Damini, was in the city on Sunday to perform at the Durga Puja Carnival on Red Road. On her Bengal connect, she said, “I was born in a town near the Bihar-Bengal border, so I grew up with a Bengali influence. Coming here feels like being back home.” The actress spoke to CT about her break, the roles that defined her and more.

Reflecting on her journey, Meenakshi admitted, “I’ve had a chequered career with more flops than successes.” Yet her role in Damini continues to define her. “People accepted me because, like her, I’ve always stood for what my conscience says is right,” she said.

Her real-life resilience mirrored her character’s: “There was a fallout with the director just as shooting was about to start, and they wanted to replace me, but the situation turned around. Many later echoed what I just said, that Damini was a lot like me by nature. Maybe that’s why the role felt so authentic.”

Looking back at the film that made her a star, Meenakshi recalled Hero’s unexpected rise. “Hero (with Jackie Shroff) was my second film after Painter Babu. Its popularity surprised me. The first few weeks were lukewarm, but then it picked up and ran for a year, even in south Indian cities, which was unheard of.”

She credits its success to filmmaker Subhash Ghai and its timeless appeal. “Indians love romance, dance and drama. Hero had all of that, along with a believable story, that connected with the audience,” said the actress, who danced to Odissi dancer Avirup Sengupta’s choreography at the Durga Puja Carnival.

Candidly reflecting on cinema, Meenakshi said, “These days, the industry has lost freshness in creative work. One person makes a supernatural drama and 30 others blatantly copy it.” However, she believes the industry is  “more professional and hi-tech now.”

On the portrayal of women, she said, “We’ve always had strong female actors, but in the 80s, defined roles were rare.” Though she finds the use of women in suggestive ways vulgar, she is hopeful: “With OTTs creating stronger characters, I hope to make a mark again after years.”