Manushi Chhillar: Not every project has to be the dream job
Manushi Chhillar on trusting her gut, building a safety net outside acting, her Vikrant Massey film and why a stepping-stone role can open the next door.
Manushi Chhillar entered public life with a global spotlight at 20, when the Miss World crown turned her into a familiar name overnight. Nearly a decade on, she is building a film career without the safety net of a Bollywood family—and learning that her own instincts matter more than a room full of advice.
Trusting her gut over the industry’s noise
Early in her film journey, Chhillar says she was excited and eager to absorb guidance from experienced voices around her. But that openness came with a quiet cost: too many opinions could drown out the one voice that mattered most.
“Whatever I have done, whatever has come from my heart and whatever I have chosen for myself, has always given me more joy,” she told HT City Showstoppers.
The lesson now shapes how she picks work. In a profession she calls unpredictable, she does not assume the next film will simply arrive.
Why the next film is never guaranteed
Without a film family to create projects for her, Chhillar knows there is no fixed pipeline. That reality changed how she looked at roles, especially as a newcomer.
“Not every project has to be the dream job. Sometimes, it just has to get you closer to it,” she said.
The approach is practical rather than cynical. Waiting at home for a big filmmaker to write a role specifically for her was a luxury she felt she could not afford. A stepping-stone project, in her view, can open a door that the dream role might sit behind.
- Trust your instincts once you know what brings you joy.
- Treat some projects as doors, not destinations.
- Build a financial cushion so acting does not carry every burden.
A safety net beyond the screen
The Miss World win did more than give Chhillar visibility. It created financial independence early, with brand endorsements helping her sustain the uncertain early years of acting. She is now expanding that cushion through entrepreneurship, which she says takes pressure off acting without reducing her commitment to the craft.
That breathing room, she believes, is essential in an artistic profession. When the bills do not depend entirely on one project, she can choose work with more joy rather than anxiety.
The Vikrant Massey project that has her excited
Chhillar’s upcoming film with Vikrant Massey is one of the most interesting scripts she has read in Mumbai. The production also gave her a behind-the-scenes education, as the team used sophisticated technology she had not encountered on earlier projects.
What seems to have won her over most is the story’s ability to keep audiences guessing. She says viewers will keep wondering until the last few minutes, when the pieces finally click. If that holds on screen, it is the kind of film that rewards full attention.
Fashion, Diwali and choosing her own doors
Off screen, Chhillar is equally clear about what she wants. She is less interested in dressing for approval—including from fashion bloggers—and more focused on looks she genuinely enjoys wearing. Her wardrobe staples are simple: a T-shirt and jeans for comfort, or a black dress for an outing. She has many black dresses in different silhouettes, but the choice keeps coming back to black.
As Diwali approaches, she will celebrate in her family’s new Mumbai home. Between a promising film, her own ventures and a growing confidence in her choices, the crown may have opened the first door—but Chhillar is now choosing which doors to walk through herself.
Source: Hindustan Times
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