As her 2001 film Kasoor completes 25 years, actress Lisa Ray is looking back at what she calls one of the most defining choices of her career, a film that quietly challenged the conventions of Hindi cinema at the time.
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Taking to Instagram, Lisa shared the music video of Mohabbat Ho Na Jaye, accompanied by a reflective note on what Kasoor represented for her, both personally and professionally.
A role that marked a turning point
Revisiting her decision to sign the film, Lisa said agreeing to Kasoor felt like stepping into her own strength.
“Twenty-five years of Kasoor. When I said yes to this film, it felt like stepping into my power — quietly but decisively,” she wrote, highlighting the rarity of a layered female character, emotional depth, and a narrative free from Bollywood’s usual song-and-dance formulas.
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Unlike many mainstream films of the late 1990s, Kasoor leaned into mood and inner conflict rather than spectacle — something Lisa says made it stand apart from its time.
Going against industry advice
The actress revealed that she was actively discouraged from taking up the project, with many warning her that audiences were not ready for darker narratives or strong women at the centre of the story.
“In the ’90s, I was told this film wouldn’t work — that it was too dark, too internal, and that no one wanted to watch a strong female character,” she recalled, adding pointedly, “Well… here we are.”
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Collaborations that mattered
Lisa also expressed gratitude for the collaborators who trusted the film’s quiet intensity. She praised co-actor Aftab Shivdasani for his sincerity and commitment, calling their collaboration deeply fulfilling.
He also took to his Instagram and penned an emotional message for the film.
She further thanked director Vikram Bhatt and the Bhatt family for believing in the film’s emotional stillness at a time when it was far from an obvious commercial choice.
Music that became timeless
Reflecting on the soundtrack, Lisa described Kasoor’s music as eternal, something that continues to live on through memories of love, heartbreak, and youth.
“These songs have woven themselves into people’s lives — first loves, long drives, stolen moments. That kind of resonance can’t be manufactured,” she noted.
A film that quietly shifted narratives
Looking back, Lisa believes Kasoor played a small but meaningful role in reshaping how women could be portrayed on screen. “It wasn’t perfect, but it was purposeful,” she said, adding that the film’s emotional tone and performances are what allowed it to endure.
Most of all, she credited audiences for keeping the film alive in memory. “Strong female stories don’t fade,” Lisa wrote. “They wait. And then they last.”
About the film
Kasoor is a legal thriller that also stars Apoorva Agnihotri, late Irrfan Khan, and Ashutosh Rana. The film is an unofficial adaptation of the 1985 American film Jagged Edge, with its climax inspired by What Lies Beneath (2000).
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