After hard-hitting roles in Gulaal, Dev D, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster and Posham Pa, actress Mahie Gill said she feels lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

The actress, who starred in Gagan Puri’s light-hearted romantic film Doordarshan last month, said: “This is the best time for Bollywood. I feel I am lucky and I am in the right place and I am getting powerful roles. Doordarshan was a sweet light-hearted film and I was looking for something like this for a long time. I was being offered the typical sensuous roles and I was tired of them. I wanted a change, and took this up.

“I also have an American film coming up titled Orphan Train (by director Trisha Ray). I play an environment protection agent Helen Prost, who saves kidnapped immigrant children. It’s a very interesting role. There’s Durgavati, a remake of the Telugu horror film Bhaagamathie, starring Bhumi Pednekar. I am enjoying doing different roles.”

Mahie Gill (Fotocorp)

Her strength, she said, in playing strong women roles comes from her mother.

“My mother brought us up single-handedly. She had a doctorate in entomology (study of insects) and was a lecturer in college. She was a strong woman. I was never attached to my father. He was a good man and he helped a lot of people but he never helped his own family. He was against my joining theatre. He was a deputy economic adviser and a popular man in our town but he died early as he was an alcoholic. After his death I came to know that he would show my pictures to his friends and praise my work a lot. But he never did that in front of me. As children we never bonded with him.”

Her role in Doordarshan, which released on February 28, took Mahie back to her school days.

“It reminded me how I got punished when I was late. I had great respect for my teachers and I am still in touch with them. After school when I went to a hostel during college, I started watching a lot of films. I was crazy about movies. I bagged gold in masters in theatres. I was a topper. I used to remain busy with NCC and French classes and my mother made sure that I was busy all day, yet I made time for the movies. I don’t remember much but my friends tell me that I danced very well.”

Mahie said so far, she has had a very satisfying journey in Bollywood.

“That does not mean I am giving up work. I want to do good roles, the kind Meryl Streep does in Hollywood. I have become choosy.

“As a kid in Chandigarh I would drink warm milk and cuddle in my blanket and watch the Filmfare awards. I never imagined that I would win that award some day. By being satisfied I meant that I have respect for the roles that I have done. I am happy. There is no end to greed. The more you wish, the more you want but I think God has given me more than what I expected. I have a good shelf life and I am proud of the films I have done.”

“I look forward to going home these days as my daughter is growing up. I love to listen to her chatter and play with her. She is naughty, intelligent and is picking up a lot of things. She keeps me busy and that’s why I run home after my shoots. Apart from that I am renovating my house and I am busy with that,” she added.