‘Tired of playing hero’s wife’: Lara Dutta reveals why she took a break from films

Actress Lara Dutta claims she took a break from acting because she felt 'jaded' from being cast in roles that required her to be the starring man's 'girlfriend or wife.'

The actor explained that her choice to leave the screen was motivated by a desire to spend more time with her daughter Saira, whom she shares with husband Mahesh Bhupathi, as well as the fact that the industry rarely provided her with fascinating roles.

"By the time I reached my early 30s, I honestly may have gotten a bid jaded. The industry was in a different space back then. You were cast because a glamorous actress had to be cast in a film. You were invariably playing the hero's girlfriend or wife. I got tired of it," Lara told PTI.

The 43-year-old performer claimed she overcame the situation by purposefully choosing comedy films, which she felt gave her more opportunities to act.

Dutta has appeared in a number of big-budget comedies, including ‘No Entry’, ‘Bhagam Bhag’, ‘Partner’, and the ‘Housefull’ series.

"It gave me a lot more to do than be someone's wife of girlfriend. I left my mark by doing comic films that were successful and popular. That became my sweet spot and gave me the opportunity to do more than just be a pretty glamorous heroine on screen.

"By the time I had my daughter in my early 30s, I had gotten jaded and tired of that. It was important and refreshing for me to take that step away," she added.

For the uninitiated, Dutta has been in three series in the two years since her return to the screen: ‘Hundred’, ‘Hiccups and Hookups’, and her most recent ‘Kaun Banegi Shikharwati’.