I Am in The Best Phase Of My Career Now: Mona Singh

Actress Mona Singh talks about her web series Maa Ka Sum, which was released on April 3, 2026. Having ventured into television, she continues to make her mark in films and OTT platforms. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, she reflects on this phase as the best of her career, where her presence is being felt more strongly than ever.

How are you enjoying your career with back-to-back series and movies?

It is amazing. Honestly, I didn't know that all the things that I am shooting would be released back-to-back. Every show has its own timing and destiny. I honestly had no idea that everyone would come one after the other. So, I am very happy, I am celebrating, people around me are celebrating. Everyone feels that my success is their personal success. You know, because people have seen me, seen me from my 20s, just see, and now I am in my 40s, exploring, experimenting. Movies are happening, OTT is also happening. So it's a very good phase. This is what I wanted to do. A lot of good things happen because you are making a lot of good decisions.

We would like to know who your bouncing board is?

You know, a lot of times it becomes difficult to choose what to do and what not to do. So, for that, who do you consider responsible? Myself. I actually, I listen to everyone, but I definitely do my own. Because I feel that this is my career, it's my choice, and it matters the most. The scripts that I can resonate with, the scripts that make me sleep at night, how will this happen, will I be able to do it? When my mind starts questioning me, that is the time I get most excited. You know, things that scare me, I get most excited.

Are you choosy now? Will you ever take up a negative character?

I am very grateful that now that the time has come, the industry is giving me all these opportunities. And I think the tough call was that the relatable girl, the moral compass, the good girl image, to step out of that, to step away from that. So 90% of the time I said no to shows and movies, where I felt that there wouldn't be growth in this. So, let's wait, let's wait. So instead of waiting for the next script, I have waited for the right script. And now I think in my 40s I am ready to explore even a negative character, grey character. I want to do it. Why not? We women, can do anything. Why just be a poor thing or a damsel in distress, or a motivational speaker for a man?

Many TV actors have always faced that rejection and rarely get opportunities in films. Now you are doing OTT and films...What kind of feedback have you got from the auditions and from the producers as you got a break from TV?

There was a time. See, I don't look down upon the medium. And honestly, when I was starting my career, I was never chasing any medium. I was just chasing a good job, good work, good acting opportunities. Why did I take a break from TV? Because there was nothing new to offer. How many more daily soaps will you do? I didn't see myself fitting in there anymore. Because as an actor on TV, I had done everything. From hosting, participating, doing daily soaps, and doing cameos. Then you need growth. So I waited for growth. And then I used to watch shows on YouTube, which TVF used to make. I was like, Wow, this is incredible. I also want to do this. Because maybe this is the new kind of cinema that we are looking at. New kind of art that we are looking at. So I waited. And then from 2017, I started OTT. When it was new.

The name of the series is Maa Ka Sum. How is your relationship with your mother?

My mother was a working woman. She gave us all the freedom. She gave us the choices that we wanted to make for our careers. But I think now in my life, my mother is my confidante. My mother is my best friend...my travel partner...my movie partner. She is my food partner. She is everywhere in my life. So, this is a relationship that, over a period of time, it gets deeper. Earlier, there were fights. Because daughters are closer to their father. I was more of a father girl. But now the relationship is so beautiful that you want to discuss everything with your mother.

Your screen presence is so strong. How do you connect with the audience? And tell us about your character in this series?

I think I can connect with the audience because this is my 24th year in the industry. So, I think somewhere I have built a bridge of trust with the audience. They feel that if I have a new show, it will be different. And I think I have been fortunate to build that bridge of trust with the audience. And also, I have not chosen shows that are commercially viable. I have chosen shows that start conversations in the rooms. Which starts difficult conversations. Which breaks taboos. Which breaks stereotypes.

And about Maa Kasum, again, it is so different. We categorise the mother so much that the mother should be like this only. She should live for the children, for the house, for the family. Forget about her life. Why? There is only one life. Mother is also a human being. And if a mother is looking for a second chance in love, why not? We should normalise it. And I am sure that after this show, there will be conversations in the homes.