Mannat Singh is not just a successful model but also an aspiring actress and found a passion for acting through pure serendipity. A young, goofy, introvert whose life changed when she entered the world of modeling through Miss India, moving out of her shell.
"I thought that there's so much more that I could do and I'm not just this shy person. I can go out there in the world and try to have big dreams and I can achieve whatever I want if I put my mind to it," Mannat goes on tell us "I am really glad that I took that scary step of coming to a different city from a town where everything was my comfort alongside my my family. Taking that leap of faith, coming here and working for my dreams every day, I feel like that is commendable and that is the reason that I do this. I want to be an actor and I love what I do. I love where my life is going to go and the direction that I'm on. And that's all that I've got."
Mannat Singh expresses how as an actor she wishes to bring the character to life and also be true to the character she is playing. As an actor you're always striving and being fearless enough to take chances. "The whole point acting us to bring the character to life. Everybody has a process which is very different and it's a very subjective thing. It differs from person to person, actor to actor. So I don't think there's a set way of performing this art but I feel it depends on the person and the actor."
There are several stages of being an actor in a show or a film. There are certain thrilling aspects and there are certain parts where hard work and focus is key. Mannat comments on the same, "I feel that I embrace and enjoy the whole process. From getting the script and reading the script, understanding the writer's point of view to actually bringing the character to life and adding my own personal touch, the whole process is extremely thrilling to me. When you're auditioning and you're going about the scene and performing in front of people, I feel like there comes a point for me where I'm knee deep into the character that I start improvising. So, when I'm improvising, I am really getting under the skin of the character and it's just coming really naturally to me. That is the point where I know that I can do this. That particular point is very exciting and thrilling for me."
"Not having explored many genres yet, I would be really excited to do a thriller or mystery film or show but the most difficult genre to perform, in my opinion, is comedy, because I feel like if you can make the audience laugh and you know it all comes with ease to you, is the most difficult thing to do. If ever got a chance, I'm sure that I'll have to work really hard. As a person, I believe I'm funny and have a good sense of humor but while performing a comedic role, I believe it will be one of the most difficult things to do but I’d still like to explore that."
Having asked what present day mega director inspires her and she would like to be directed by, Mannat answers with a slight glow in her eye as she talks about her inspiration, "The filmmaker that inspires me the most and that I would love to work with in the future is Sanjay Leela Bhansali as I have just really liked his work since I was a little child. I've been watching him since Devdas and then I absolutely loved guzaarish and Ram Leela, eventually all the series that he's made, all the great films that he's made till date. I like his process, the way that he makes his characters a certain way, the whole direction process and it's just very thrilling to the eye from an audience's point of view. I would like to be directed by him."
Mannat believes that as an actor we must pursue and the amount of effort and work one puts in their art will always prove fruitful. As an actor, with all hardships one faces, one must always keep going and pushing their boundaries without a shadow of doubt. She speaks about her father who is a motivational speaker, she says he always said, "Mannat you will be really glad if you give it your all, if you have tried really hard as you’ll never have regrets. Don't give up. This is my dream and this is what I want to work for. That's stuck with me and that's what I tell myself. Even on days when I'm feeling low, I don't get up and I'm not able to do what I want to but there are days that you have to pick yourself up and remind yourself of the purpose that you have aspired to achieve."
