Post by : Meena
Hassan
After an impressive musical journey and her transition to screen acting with Call Me Bae last year, followed by The Royals this year, singer-actor Lisa Mishra is back to her foundational love— the theatre. She made her much-anticipated return at the Prithvi Theatre Festival, performing in a musical directed by Akarsh Khurana after a 15-year hiatus.
“It's overwhelming to be back because it’s a lot of work,” admits Lisa. “I had forgotten the immense effort that goes into producing something of this magnitude live. The excitement is vast, yet there's a hint of terror. This is the ultimate test—where my music career intersects with acting.”
Though it's been over a decade since she last graced the stage, Lisa feels her extensive musical background provides a solid foundation for her performance. “Stage presence is inherent for me as a musician. On camera, we get multiple takes to deliver our lines. But theatre is unforgiving—it offers no do-overs. This challenge is manageable for me since I'm accustomed to live performances. My musical experience has definitely prepared me for this endeavor.”
Reflecting on what she missed about the theatre, she notes, “I longed for the thrill of live performance over an extended format. While my touring shows run for about 90 minutes, those are songs I’ve honed over years. Delivering a full-length play with new music while juggling lines and performance is what I craved.”
Having previously engaged in musical theatre, Lisa feels that coming back after building her acting career adds another layer of pressure. “Although I have a history of doing musical theatre, returning now—after establishing myself in acting—intensifies the expectations for me,” she states.
Looking back on her career path, Lisa describes her journey as a “playbook for anyone committed to hard work.” She emphasizes, “Many believe that once you achieve your breakthrough, everything becomes easy. However, in a competitive city like Mumbai, one must constantly redefine themselves and find ways to thrive. Work isn't served on a platter—it's something you must chase down and fight for.”
Looking ahead, Lisa is set to commence filming for Call Me Bae Season 2. “We’re about to start shooting soon. We just wrapped our table read with the entire cast, and it went brilliantly. Season two promises to be extraordinary—it’s well-crafted, with character arcs that have evolved beautifully,” she shares. Additionally, she updates us on The Royals Season 2: “We’re still in the initial phase. Pre-production has started, but it's too soon to disclose the trajectory of our characters’ arcs.”
English
