Isha Koppikar on how she didn't compromise in her career & hence settled for smaller roles

Actor Isha Koppikar Narang will always be remembered for her iconic songs and roles in several films. From being in the popular song Khallas in Company to starring in the then-controversial film, Girlfriend and being the female lead in Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi, she has indeed enjoyed quite a career. But in the past few years, she has been rather inactive.

In an at-length interview with ETimes, Koppikar talked about missing in action, not compromising and hence settling for smaller roles among other things.

While, one assumed that she took a sabbatical due to pregnancy, that wasn't the case. She said, “It may seem like there’s been a gap in my work because I have not done Hindi films. But I have been busy with a couple of web series and a film, which started in 2019 but got stuck due to the pandemic. All my work will be released back-to-back this year. I may not have been doing quintessential roles, because what’s important for me is the content. It doesn’t make sense for me to step out every day if I don’t get those kinds of roles.”

She then talked about her journey and how she had her brush with campism, nepotism and casting couch in the film industry, “There are camps and nepotism does exist. In the early 2000s, I was supposed to do a big project, but a yesteryear heroine made a few calls and her daughter bagged the part. In mid-2000, I was called by a renowned producer who said that you have to be in the good books of the hero. I didn’t know what he meant. So, I called up the hero, who asked me to meet him alone. At that point, he was being accused of infidelity, so he asked me to visit him minus my staff. I called the producer and told him that I am here due to my talent and looks and if that can get me good work, then it’s good enough. I was thrown out of the film (laughs!).”

Finally, talking about why she settled for smaller roles, she said, “I didn’t compromise, but I had to settle for smaller roles after being promised big parts in films. So, while the filmmakers got a good deal, I got a raw one. It all boils down to bad management and trusting the wrong people. The only film that I got critical praise for was D, in which I was seen in a small part.”

When it comes to her appearances, Koppikar was last seen in Kannada film, Kavacha and will now be seen in Tamil film, Ayalaan and Hindi film, Asi Nabbe Poorey Sau soon.