Mumbai: She was a name to reckon with in the modelling world in the nineties and even had a successful stint in films. But her battle with cancer temporarily halted Lisa’s work prospects, before she made her way back to pursue a career in showbiz. After hosting a lifestyle show a while ago, the model-turned-actress is in Mumbai to make the city her base camp again. “Well I’m not a planner, I’m more of an intention setter. Moving back to Mumbai has always been on the cards, but the timing is perfect now as I’m healthy and my husband is moving to Asia as well. I want to be a part of the new wave of storytelling that’s coming out of the Hindi film industry. I’ve always felt I have an ‘unfinished business’ in Mumbai,” says the actress who believes she gets her nomadic streak from her father.
“My father is my hero. He is the most original, evolved, cool man you will ever meet. He just sent me an email to congratulate me on the purchase of a flat in Mumbai and then mentioned he’s driving down to Montana with some friends to go hiking. He’s in his 80s.” Next, it’s her husband who Lisa says has changed her life. “My marriage to Jason has given me wings. We are not conventional people at all so we decided to co-create the ideal life for ourselves not anyone else. And it’s Jason who is encouraging me to work again in Mumbai he feels I have so much more to give.”
Lisa also credits her illness for giving her a new perspective on life. “I have never had a ‘normal’ life, but I can share that my life is different now it’s better! I don’t get caught up in the hustle of life, simplicity is important to me. I have a much better sense of humour and I certainly don’t sweat over the small stuff. And I also found my soulmate post cancer. You can actually thrive after dealing with a huge health issue if you listen and learn from the experience.”
While she has dabbled in films and television too, Lisa admits that modelling days will always make for the best memories in her life. “Those were the days. The industry was so much smaller we were a family pulling practical jokes on each other, having heart-to-heart conversations; it was a very rich time to be a model in the nineties. We were idealists who also believed in trying to create beauty and push the envelope aesthetically. It wasn’t all about branding and marketing. Friends from my modelling days are still the people I’m closest to. I grew up with them and they dealt with all my drama as well!”
