Genelia Deshmukh, Bollywood’s Comeback Kid

Playing your age is a huge challenge in showbiz. Most actors cling to youthful images though they are well past their prime. Not Genelia Deshmukh. Her journey to adulthood and beyond has gone hand-in-hand with the evolution of her characters. At 21, she played a lovesick college student in Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na.

Now, at 35—married with two children—her characters have imbibed the maturity that comes with experience.

Her new film, Trial Period, exemplifies this transformation. “I am a different person today than who I was 15 years ago. I have grown from a girl into a woman, and am looking for roles written keeping that in mind,” she says.

In Trial Period, Genelia plays Ana, mother to a six-year-old boy, Romi, essayed by Zidane Braz. As
a single parent, she juggles work and life smoothly on most days. That is, until her child starts asking questions about his father.

“What I enjoyed the most about the role is that Ana is not upset about her single status. She is a confident woman who believes she can lead a life with her son independently. She is not bitter,” the actor affirms.

The bottomline for her, she says, is that the character has to be relatable, both for the performer and the viewer. “In Trial Period, the scene where her son goes to the bathroom becomes a big issue since Ana is multi-tasking. All mothers will relate to that. I believe I understood these small nuances because I am that age,” Genelia adds.