Mona Singh says relatives told parents 'aapki beti family ka naam badnaam kar degi' when she entered showbiz | Exclusive

Mona Singh has donned many hats in a two-decade-long career. She has been an actor, an anchor, and now she is an influencer, in the truest sense of the word. Mona has started her own community on the all-women social media platform coto, which is aimed at empowering women and encouraging them to make their own choices. In an exclusive chat with DNA, Mona opens up about her association with coto, learnings from her life that she brings to this experience, and more.

In our country, women communities are looked down upon. If five women are sitting together, people assume they are gossiping. So, to have a whole community dedicated to women online is positive indeed. How did you come to be associated with it?

Tarun Katial came up with the idea for coto and he wanted me to get involved with creating my own community. I am known for unconventional choices and living life on my own terms. That is why maybe he thought I am apt for it, to bring about some small change and start a conversation. I was really excited about creating this app and letting women know that the only thing we have is this one life.

Your community on coto is called Meri Marzi. What’s the story behind that?

Our community is somewhere helping other women fulfil their dreams and go out in pursuit of their happiness. I am more than happy to be a part of this. We were thinking of names and I even thought of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara but that’s too filmy. So, I wanted to stick to who I am and everyone said maine hamesha apni marzi ki hai (I have always done what I felt) and that stuck. I feel it liberates me and other women because we encourage them to do that.

Do you feel the world has changed enough for women to dictate terms now, in things that matter?

Women are always told what to do. Now, of course things are changing but change always takes time. But what we need to do is start a conversation about it, at least. There are so many women who just want to be heard. They may not even be looking for any solution but they want their voice to be heard.

So when were you told what you ‘should and should not’ do?

My parents said anything of that sort to me. They were very clear that I should finish my graduation because you never know if I would get work in this (entertainment) industry or not. So, at least I should be well educated so that I am able to apply for a job somewhere. But most of my relatives would call my parents and telling them ki aapki beti showbiz me jaa rahi hai, kharab ho jayegi, family ka naam badnaam kar degi (your daughter is entering the show business, she will get spoiled, she will ruin the family name). All those things, my parents heard. But they never reacted. They let me do what I wanted to. And when they saw Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin (her first show) being an overnight success, all these same relatives congratulated them and invited me home.