Mumbai, Apr 3 Actor Mona Singh is on a roll, and 2026 seems like her year. With numerous exciting offers, Singh says she carefully chooses her scripts to find challenging roles that keep her on her toes.
Over the past few months, Singh has delivered incredible performances in films and OTT shows.
After playing a protective mother in “The Ba*ds of Bollywood,” she seamlessly transitioned to playing a quirky Goan gangster in “Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos,” a devoted army wife in “Border 2,” a grieving cop in “Kohrra 2,” and a ruthless sand mafia queen in “Subedaar.”
Singh believes that success comes from making the right choices.
"I don't wait for the next script; I wait for the right one, which resonates with me, which gives me more room to experiment and challenge me as an actor... It has to be something that keeps me up at night. I need to be fully invested before starting work. I need to feel everything," Singh told
Having multiple releases in a short time can be daunting for actors, but the 44-year-old actress says she hasn't experienced "too much pressure" yet.
"It's the variety of roles. I'm not repeating myself. Thankfully, I'm getting all these different opportunities and roles to play. I never feel overwhelmed by the prospect of being constantly in the public eye," Singh said.
Singh says she takes care of herself.
"I'm very kind to myself," she added, stating that she doesn't always maintain a facade of positivity.
"So, if I'm feeling down today, tomorrow I won't be. But I need to address it and not ignore it. I think that's the best way to live. Sometimes people say, 'Don't show your emotions,' but I do," Singh said.
"Life is meant to be challenging, to throw obstacles at you, and that's why we play these complex roles. You can't just play these roles without experiencing life," she added.
Singh says she knows how to manage her downtime and adds that she returns to her restaurant business, travels, practices yoga, and takes care of her pets.
"I know that life is more than just work and acting," she said, adding, "Wherever I am, I'm fully present. I don't feel the need to take breaks. I manage my breaks effectively."
Singh is currently starring in the Prime Video series "Maa Ka Sum," the gangster crime drama show “Paan Parda Zarda,” and Rajkumar Hirani's debut OTT show with Vikrant Massey.
In "Maa Ka Sum," she plays the mother of "The Archies" actor Mihir Ahuja. While Singh has played the role of a mother before, she says this character is different from her previous roles.
Singh and Ahuja previously played mother and son in "Made in Heaven" season two.
"I've played a mother before, but this character in 'Maa Ka Sum' is very different. She's progressive, and that's what I love about the show. Also, I'm choosing projects that are not just commercially viable, but they're also conversation starters, like 'Maa Ka Sum'," Singh said.
"Maa Ka Sum" follows the story of a 19-year-old math genius (Ahuja), who attempts to apply mathematical principles to find his mother's (Singh) a perfect romantic match, only to learn that human connections transcend formulas. The eight-episode light-hearted drama is directed by Nicholas Kharkongor.
"He was very particular about one thing: 'Let's not repeat what we've done before because mothers can get a little cliche on the big screen.' So, we were making sure that whatever we do, whatever movement, dialogue delivery, angry or emotional scene, let's do something else, let's try something new," Kharkongor said.
When asked if there is a math behind her successful choices, Singh laughed and said, "I wish there was. But there's a lot of courage behind it."
Her core philosophy remains simple: to stay unpredictable.
"I want to keep reinventing myself, I want to keep trying new things, stay relevant, and be able to surprise viewers with a new release every time. If I'm doing the same thing, if I'm being predictable, there's no excitement," Singh said.