Dino Morea explains his absence: ‘The offers I got were absolutely rubbish, it was better to sit at home’

Dino Morea is back and made his debut on the streaming platform with the web series, Mentalhood. The actor, who introduces himself as ‘one of the mummies’ on the show, plays a single father. Ask him about his long absence from the screen and the actor blames it on the absence of good offers.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, the actor opened about what kept him away for so long, his upcoming projects and his views on surrogacy. Excerpts:

How are you dealing with the lockdown amid coronavirus outbreak?

It’s good, it’s like a holiday, everyone enjoying themselves and introspecting, I hope.

Your performance as a father in Mentalhood was very convincing. Did you emulate a father around you?

I love kids. This came to me very easily. I have friends who have kids. Whenever they visit me, I play a lot with them. I am very used to handling children. When the kids came to the set, besides the director, I also pitched in and taught them all from what is to be said to when to say the dialogues. They are kids, their energy is so much that it’s unbelievable. They need to be calmed down. There were a few scenes where the young girl had to look sad and she was laughing and having fun. So to make her look unhappy and quiet, we had to work on it.

Any happy memories from the show, you were the man among the all-female cast?

I was working with an entire female cast, the director was female, the producer – Ekta Kapoor is a woman. It was wonderful and lovely to shoot with all of them. I have to say – all the actors were outstanding. When you work them, you have to make yourself better.

You have a dialogue on the show, “I am one of the mummies”. Do you think the Indian men have finally evolved to step into the shoes of a mother?

Of course, if you are a single parent, you can be a mummy and a daddy. And even if you are not a single parent and alone at home, then you have to be a mother and a father. Men are accepting today.

Also read: Mentalhood review: Karisma Kapoor’s web show is an essential but preachy parenting guide

You play a father of two kids on the show, born via surrogacy. What do you think about surrogacy?

It’s not just celebrities, many couples have opted it across the globe. If you can’t have children naturally but want to have your own child, your own blood, why not? Today, we have finest doctors and finest technology to help you achieve that. I think it’s absolutely fine if you can’t have on your own or if your partner can’t have due to whatever reason, then surrogacy is an option.

.

Why are you seen so rarely on screen?

I have now started doing shows. The offers which came to me were absolutely rubbish. People were offering me terrible projects. Even if I did those films, people would have judged me for doing such a project and would have said ‘he is a flop actor’. It’s better to sit at home and do something else and wait for the right opportunity. And I have finally got the right opportunity in the form of web series. I am doing four web shows which include Mentalhood, Tandev and Moghals.

I was looking for something potential and the web series I am getting are fantastic. When I was at home, I was keeping myself ready. I had a teacher with whom I used to work three times a day. I believed that if someone approaches me with a good offer and says ‘let’s begin tomorrow’, I should be ready. If a big director comes to me ‘I want you in this role, the story is very good’, I will be ready to shoot. Even if an offer comes after 10 years, I have to be ready.

You also have a film coming up?

Yes, I am producing Helmet, which is supposed to come out in July. It’s a very funny film. So I am part of the industry but I don’t want to do rubbish. Call it my bad luck or whatever it is, after Pyaar Impossible, people were offering me nonsense films. I was offered roles of no consequence. If I would have done such films, it would have taken me nowhere, it would have left me there. People would have called it ‘bakwas’ and ‘kis tarah ki picture kar raha hai (what kind of films he is doing)’.

What are you doing these days in quarantine?

I am reading a lot and trying to greenlight my first production. We have to finalise a script and are working at home. We read books everyday of which I can buy the rights and make a film.

I am also working out at home and watching films. My parents are in town, so I am spending time with them as well. I also spend time with my dog. I love plants, so every morning, I walk around looking at my plants. I am just enjoying a few days alone with myself.

(Author tweets @ruchik87)

Follow @htshowbiz for more