A little girl from the erstwhile kingdom of Rewa in Madhya Pradesh grew up believing that no dream was too big for her to achieve. From the very beginning, she had her heart set on performing arts such as dancing and acting, but held reservations vis-à-vis its acceptance within her community, where dancing and acting were watched and much-appreciated, but never conducted by oneself.
However, the oft-related stereotypes and hurdles attached to the art and career of performing arts were soon diminished by the enormous support that the little girl’s mother bestowed upon her. Gradually over the years, she developed wings and began to fly. Within the infinite pulse of Mumbai, she found her feet as a performer and continued to persevere her journey as an entertainer until her talent landed her flight upon the sets of Dance India Dance. Being in front of the television and a million eyes did little to dampen the first timer’s spirit. Instead, she glided her way into every successive round and ended up being a finalist of the show. This is how Mohena Kumari Singh made her scintillating entry into tinsel town and her flight only continues to soar higher.
Mohena’s mettle as a dancer and actor began to melt the pre-conceived notions that her family held vis-a-vis this field of expertise. She assisted the renowned choreographer Remo D’Souza on the sets of the famous dance show Jhalak Dikhla Ja for three entire seasons and also starred amongst the lead characters in Dil Dosti Dance, one of the most loved fiction dance dramas on Star Plus. At present, Mohena can be seen on the popular soap opera, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, and is savouring every moment enacting Kirti Bansal.
Breaking through into the competitive entertainment industry for Mohena was accompanied by the additional challenge of doing within long-held traditionalism by ancestral families such as hers. “Even though I had my family support I did know at the back of my head that girls from our community, especially Princesses have never gone out there and done unconventional jobs like mine. So, I knew I was going to get a lot of flak for it too. Which I did. But the support I have received is so much more than the flak,” says the star-eyed celebrity. The continuous and overwhelming support that she receives daily from her fanbase keeps her going. She is also aware of having made a bold career choice that is likely to open up aspirational avenues for other Rajput girls.
Maintaining herself as a traditionalist in many ways, Mohena emphasises on the vitality of community-based thinking and individualism in order to evolve. “The thinking (of the Rajput community) has to evolve. It is important for an individual to go through struggles in life to shape themselves as better human beings. I believe experience is everything. Until and unless you don’t get out into the real world, you’ll never know who you really are and what you want from your life. Parents should give their kids the right values and ultimately let them choose their own paths.” she elaborates. In many ways, Mohena’s approach tactfully balances traditional values with her professional pursuit as an individual and successfully portrays a proud retention of her family heritage while creating her own legacy in India’s film industry.
When asked about her ultimate aims and goals, Mohena expresses a highly spiritual insight: “My aim is to be happy. My goal is to go back home after a long day at shoot, satisfied with what I have done. It is so important to do what makes you happy. That way you can be at peace with yourself and can actually make others in your life happy too.”
In the long run, apart from working in the entertainment industry, Mohena envisions heading homewards and taking up political responsibilities alongside her brother towards social causes such as women empowerment and underprivileged children. Along her exciting journey as an aspirational individual and a Rajput scioness, Mohena mentions the likelihood of finding her Prince Charming in a suitor who co-pilots her exciting flight with her.
“He should be one who finds pride in my achievements, instead of chopping off my wings”, says Mohena while finishing off, with a wink that is as charming as she is.