Picture by Aranya Sen

From a mini-skirted escort girl in Bollywood/Hollywood to a gutsy lawyer in Kasoor to a widow forced into prostitution in Water, Lisa Ray has proved to be quite an all-rounder.

Having recently moved to the States to concentrate on an international career, Ray was in town on Wednesday for the launch of an exclusive Rado Store at the Forum mall, as well as the unveiling of the new Ceramica Chronograph series with diamonds set against a black background.

“I am part Bengali and always like coming to this city. I hope I find time to pick up some rosogollas before I leave,” smiled she.

Dressed to thrill in a white-gold creation with very little make-up and the designer Ceramica Chronograph as her sole fashion accessory, Lisa had a chat with t2...

You started in Bollywood with a strong author-backed role (Kasoor) but since then it’s been offbeat performances in parallel cinema. Does commercial Bollywood not beckon at all?

I enjoying watching Bollywood films but as an actor I don’t see myself acting in them. I think in English and I don’t know too much Hindi. Also, I don’t live in India and have reinvented myself as an actor. At the moment, I am concentrating on an international career and am working on lots of different English language projects, including Deepa Mehta’s Stella.

I am serious about my craft and am not in it for purely commercial reasons. So it’s a pleasure working abroad where actors spend so much time taking acting lessons, and honing the latest techniques and styles to keep bettering their performance and preparing for new roles.

Lisa in Water or Lisa in Bollywood/Hollywood?

Lisa Ray in Water.

Lisa’s most challenging role till date:

Every role is challenging in its own way and I keep challenging myself as an actor to keep doing new things, trying to stretch the boundaries of my abilities.

Lisa as one of the most beautiful Indian women of the millennium:

That was a list for the last millennium and I hope I manage to endure this one!

Lisa’s dream director is:

Fernando Meirelles of The Constant Gardener fame, who is an auteur with a vision. I want to be a part of his films.... And I would have loved to work with Satyajit Ray had he been alive.

On your favourite fashion accessory:

My Rado Chronograph which is a distinctive and stylish fashion statement.

You were studying to be a journalist, then you got into a modelling career and then you turned to cinema and even have plans to write a book.... So where do you want to be 10 years from now?

I still want to be acting and try my hand at directing as well. Who knows, become a yoga instructor, write a book… really, as long as it is creative and in the realm of the arts I will be happy.