Lara Dutta Reveals why She Took a Break from Acting

Lara Dutta has opened up about the reasons that led her to take a break from acting.

The actress says she decided to step away from acting because she felt “jaded” being in roles that required her to be either the “girlfriend or wife” of the leading men.

After a career of almost a decade following her debut in 2003 with Andaaz, Lara slowed down her acting career in 2015.

Lara said the decision to take a break was fuelled by her desire to spend time with her daughter Saira, whom she shares with her husband Mahesh Bhupathi.

The actress also revealed she took a break because she felt that the industry rarely challenged her with interesting roles.

Lara Dutta said: “By the time I reached my early 30s, I honestly may have gotten a bit jaded.

“The industry was in a different space back then.

“You were cast because a glamourous actress had to be cast in a film.

“You were invariably playing the hero’s girlfriend or wife. I got tired of it.”

The 43-year-old actress said she overcame the situation by consciously choosing comedy films, which she found offered her more scope to perform.

Since then, Lara has starred in several comedy films including No Entry, Bhagam Bhag, Partner, and the Housefull franchise.

Lara added: “It gave me a lot more to do than being someone’s wife or girlfriend.

“I left my mark by doing comic films that were successful and popular.

“That became my sweet spot and gave me the opportunity to do more than just be a pretty glamourous heroine on screen.

“By the time I had my daughter in my early 30s, I had gotten jaded and tired of that.

“It was important and refreshing for me to take that step away.”

Lara Dutta was last seen in the web series Hiccups and Hookups as well as Hundred.

The actress currently stars in the ZEE5 comedy-drama series Kaun Banegi Shikharwati alongside Naseeruddin Shah.

Praising the senior actor’s temperament on the set, Lara Dutta said:

“He is very kind and patient on set.

“Having four young women around him who are not as experienced as he is, I am pretty sure we tested his patience a couple of times but he never really lost it.

“He was very, very patient with us.”

Speaking about her recent roles, Lara Dutta said:

“I did so much work in the last 18 months, more than what I have done in the last six years put together.

“It has been an incredibly liberating time as an artist to be able to play these diverse characters.”