Isha embarks on social good

BHARATI PAWASKAR

A celebrity for the past 18 years, she enjoys playing multiple roles in life and puts her heart and soul in each of the hats that she wears. A model, an actress, an entrepreneur, a social worker and a doting mother to four-and-a-half-year-old Rianna, this energetic lady believes that having earned enough name and fame for herself, it’s time to give back to society. 

An actress who consciously chose to play a protagonist in most of her films right from the beginning of her Bollywood career in her twenties, Isha Koppikar is happy to garner more critical appreciation than substantial box office figures which makes her different from other celebrities.   

Isha enjoys wearing multiple hats and a feather has just been added to her cap when she announced her decision to enter active politics two months ago. In her forties today, this versatile actress reasons, “It is the need of the hour. Today, our nation needs us and time to give back has come. If not now, then when?” 

Admitting that she has no fixed ideologies, agenda or plan as of now, Isha just confirms that she wants to serve the nation to the best of her ability as an actor and using her celebrity personality and her social reputation - which she believes - is given to her by the people of this nation, albeit as a remuneration for her hard work and adulation. “If we see unrest in the society, isn’t it our moral responsibility and social obligation to pay back what we have received? We are capable of doing this. If each of us thinks in the similar fashion and join hands, together we can make world a better place. I believe in this philosophy,” Isha states and adds in chaste Hindi, “Irada nek ho to kaynaat bhi saath deti hai’ (If the motive is fair, even the universe will co-operate!”   

In Mumbai, Isha lives a busy life, managing her entrepreneurship venture, Soul Konnect Hospitality, a central kitchen that has a data base of around 10,000 clients, out of which 4000 are regulars. “Ours is a non-diving restaurant. We answer calls for home delivery and also cater to weddings, parties and catering,” briefs Isha. The hospitality venture has ‘thali’ module which is sealed and delivered to the destination. The food is customized and one can order for veg or non-veg. There’s no hassle of returning any tiffin, as it’s ‘use and throw’ type of eco-friendly, bio-degradable tray.   

But why on earth did Isha think of starting this kind of food service which is now four-year-old? She maintains, “I am a food lover and while I did acting as a career, I thought of starting something in the hospitality industry. But I had no clue. So I went abroad and learnt from scratch. And working parallel with ‘Soul Konnect Hospitality’ is my philanthropic module with the same name - ‘Soul Konnect Foundation’ which is a hunger partner in the hospitality venture. We offer free food to the hungry.”   

For Isha getting connect to the society for a cause is not a newfound activity. Infused with social responsibility from her childhood, she has been contributing her bit for the past two decades, without making any noise about it. “It is when you do something without any expectation for people whom you don’t even know, that you get real satisfaction. That’s your ‘khari kamaiee’, your real ‘Karma’. One must do and forget such acts of kindness. My father always told us, ‘Insaan ko dharam se nahi, balki karam se bada hona chahiye’ (a person should consider himself tall not by the name of his religion, but on the basis of his deeds). That ideology flows in my DNA,” shares Isha who has been spiritually aware right from her early age.   

Expressing to enter production soon, Isha spells of her plans to produce films, documentaries, shows and series of her own. “I am thinking of production seriously and actually waiting to grab good content,” quips Isha who has worked in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. Her most critically acclaimed performances were in the films Don: The Chase Begins Again, Fiza, D, Kaante, Dil Ka Rishta, Hum Tum, Kyaa Kook Hai Hum etc.  

As Isha is pausing to accept newer challenges in life, some are coming her way without inviting. Pointing out that there are lot of opportunities opening up for women in India, Isha appeals the women to avail them, excel in their chosen field and become economically independent. Nothing is a roadblock. One needs only will, to find a way and rise in the new India that’s emerging fast to equate with the rest of the world. “Leave earth and seas, even sky is not the limit!” smiles Isha.