She calls herself a “cancer graduate” and is penning a book on the disease she recently recovered from. Yet, all this while Indian-Canadian actor Lisa Ray, who swears by the prowess of yoga, has been itching to return to Bollywood, which she claims is growing by leaps and bounds internationally.
“India has started to make an international impact and we’re going from strength to strength. Keeping in mind the kind of films that are being made now, the scripts and technology advancements, the film industry is definitely growing by leaps and bounds,” commented Ray.
She was recently spotted in Hyderabad for the launch of “OMG” (Oh My God), a TV show she is hosting. And she says coming back to Hyderabad, the city which holds a special place in her heart, was a truly amazing experience.
Ray, who made her Bollywood debut in 2001 with Kasoor, has received critical acclaim for her performance in Deepa Mehta’s Water, which was released in 2005. The actress was going strong with a string of films like Bollywood/Hollywood, I Can’t Think Straight, Kill Kill Faster Faster and Cooking with Stella, when suddenly in 2009 she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma – a rare cancer of the bone marrow.
However, the actor says she is undeterred by the experience and looks back at the phase in a positive light. “There are many lessons that I learnt during that phase of my life. I call myself a cancer graduate now,” she commented.
Although, she refused to divulge details about her upcoming project, Ray maintained that she is raring to make a comeback. “I have a big project coming up, but it is not the right time to reveal this.”
“I can’t wait to get back into films with a nice juicy project. I am in no hurry to load myself with work and anyway, I will have to wait for my hair to grow long enough to work in a film,” she says.
Ray, who says the life-threatening disease has made her realise the importance of life, is busy penning a book on cancer. “I am writing a book on cancer awareness and also working on opening a yoga studio in Canada. The fact that I have always believed in yoga and have been doing it for the last 12 years can be the reason I have so much hope and energy within.”
Meanwhile, she also says that relationships have become more important to her now. “I believe that relationships with people, who really love and care for you, help you survive. I have learnt it the hard way that one should give enough time to relationships that matter,” she said.
