Unfiltered & unadulterated

Veteran actor and theatre personality Mita Vashisht discusses her three-decade career defined by authenticity and a focus on craft over stardom

- | Rapti.Bhaumick @ahmedabadmirror.com Posts @rapti_b rapti_b

"Shuddh desi ghee," is how Mita Vashisht describes herself, with humour and conviction. Over three decades, she has moved seamlessly between theatre, television, film and OTT, building a career less about chasing stardom and more about staying true to herself and her craft.

In a freewheeling conversation with Ahmedabad Mirror during her recent visit to the city to present her play Mahadev at the Rajendra Bhagat Rashtriya Natya Mahotsav 3.0, Vashisht reflected on what anchors her, the shifts she has witnessed in storytelling and why she still approaches every role with a sense of discovery.

Letting the purity shine

Vashisht has transcended generations, from Boomers and Millennials who saw her in Space City Sigma (1989), Mr Yogi (1989), Swabhimaan (1994), and as Trishna Agarwal in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki (2005-08) to Gen Z who know her from Kaala (2022) and Criminal Justice: A Family Matter (2025).

“For me, the whole business of being an actress has never been a business. Even if I negotiate contracts, which I’ve only learnt recently, there's a point beyond which I will not sell the craft or the space I hold very precious,” she shared.

Audiences often tell her there’s a purity in her work, something she doesn’t strategise. “No matter what the role is or who the director is, at the end of the day, the process has no discrimination. The idea is to give your soul and your best,” said Vashisht, who first gained prominence in Mani Kaul’s 1989 National Award-winning Siddheshwari.

This refusal to bend extends to social media. When a Gen Z acquaintance insisted she churn out Instagram reels to boost her following, she said no. “I’m an actress. I can’t do a reel a day, and I don’t want to either.”