Mumbai, Feb 3: Actress Lisa Ray is marking 25 years since the release of her 2001 film Kasoor, a project that she believes was a defining moment in her career and one that subtly challenged the conventions of Hindi cinema at the time.

Taking to Instagram, Lisa shared a throwback to the iconic music video of “Mohabbat Ho Na Jaye” from Kasoor. Along with the post, she penned a reflective note on the film's significance, revealing how accepting the role felt like “stepping into my power.”

“25 years of Kasoor. Let that sink in,” Lisa began. “When I said yes to this film, it felt like stepping into my power quietly but decisively. A strong female character. A real arc. Emotional complexity. No big dance numbers. No formula.”

Lisa described her character as emotionally layered, driven by deep feelings rather than the traditional spectacle and song-and-dance sequences that dominated Bollywood at the time. “It was dark, internal, and led by feeling rather than spectacle. In many ways, Kasoor represented everything Bollywood wasn’t at that moment,” she reflected.

The actress also recalled the initial resistance she faced when taking up the project, with many discouraging her from joining the film. "People told me audiences weren’t ready for a strong female character or for a dark, internal narrative," Lisa shared. Despite the doubts, Kasoor ended up being a pivotal film that set the stage for more nuanced portrayals of women in Bollywood.

With its bold and emotionally intricate storyline, Kasoor was a departure from the typical mainstream Bollywood fare of the time, which often relied on formulas of glamour, heroism, and catchy musical numbers. The film’s introspective nature and its focus on complex emotional arcs helped Lisa Ray stand out as an actress willing to take risks and choose roles that weren’t just about glamour, but about depth and substance.

Celebrating 25 years of Kasoor, Lisa Ray continues to look back on her role with pride, appreciating the path the film carved for more meaningful, strong female characters in the Hindi film industry.