From Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi to Company and Don 2, actor Isha Koppikar’s career spanned across genres and industries. In an exclusive interview with HT Lifestyle, the actor reflected on her film career, choosing meaningful roles, embracing diverse genres, self-acceptance, personal style and building habits that last beyond motivation.
Vara Prasad in 1997, followed by her Tamil debut in Kaadhal Kavithai in 1998 and her Bollywood debut with Fiza in 2000. Isha Koppikar made her feature film debut with the Telugu film W/o V. From romantic dramas like Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi to crime thriller web series like Suranga, her journey across genres and film industries reflects her evolution as an actor, with each project bringing new experiences and opportunities to explore diverse roles.
The song Khallas from the film Company introduced audiences to a different side of Isha Koppikar. As actors, we often feel we never age, but we must embrace change and explore diverse roles. But my director ensured that he brought out the ‘Khallas’ girl in me. Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi is one of the memorable films from Rajshri Productions and remains a notable part of Isha Koppikar’s filmography. She also described working with Rajshri Productions and Sooraj Barjatya as a great experience, recalling her time with co-star Sonu Sood fondly. “He’s a very fine human being. We were in Bhopal for almost a month, and I had a great time. It touched my soul and made me realise that such people exist. The Indian film industry encompasses several regional cinemas, including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Punjabi and Marathi, offering actors opportunities to explore diverse storytelling styles. Isha Koppikar is among those who have experienced this diversity firsthand. Their sensibilities are different from those here in Bombay. Rather than moving from one film to another, Isha Koppikar chose to be selective about the projects she took on. I think it is very important not to make creative compromises if you are passionate about acting. OTT platforms have significantly changed how audiences consume content and how films perform. Digitalisation has taught us that content is definitely more important than the names you choose to cast in a film. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who is in the film as much as the content itself.”
Because people get bored seeing you in the same role again and again, it is important to break the monotony. Reflecting on the role, she said, “I was not really prepared for it because, before that, I had done very conservative, girl-next-door roles and never thought I would fit the bill. Reflecting on her character Chandni, Isha said, “I resonate with the simplicity that Chandni brought to the character because, in real life, I am fairly simple. Because i don’t come from a film background, i started at the age of 16, and I had nobody to guide me.
Reflecting on her journey, Isha said, “The best thing you can do as an actor is adapt and evolve with age. Reflecting on her time in the Southern film industry, she said, “They are very loyal to their actors and very emotional. Reflecting on her approach, she said, “If you are financially dependent on your acting career, you tend to compromise creatively at some point. Reflecting on this shift, Isha Koppikar said, “Mainstream cinema is more about filling theatres over the weekend, but I think what is crucial now is content.
