Acting is a child's play: Meghna Tiwari

She has many acts up her sleeve but teaching children the nuances of acting is one that she has perfected. For Mumbai-based Meghna Tiwari, conducting workshops for tiny tots is something that she has "discovered" which gives her "immense pleasure and a sense of coming home."
An actress in her own right, Meghna is also the lady who groomed little Yash Pathak who played the title role of Rahul in Prakash Jha''s film.In town to interact with the children at Durga Das Foundation, Chandigarh Times found out more about her and her favourite muse(s).
A professional theatre personality since the last six years, Meghna details her beginnings, "I''ve acted and assisted in numerous theatre productions. I''ve also acted in films like Tarkeeb, Rahul and the forthcoming animation film Bhagmati co-starring Tabu. Other than this, I''ve acted in television serials Samne Waali Khidki and Sehar and also done a music video Mitwa O'' Mitwa but what I enjoy the most is working with children. I never imagined that I would end up working with them but it''s a flair that I''ve discovered."
Quiz her on whether children make for difficult acting subjects and she relays, "Rather than difficult, I''d say they are different. They are spontaneous, sharp and alert. You just can''t take them for a ride. One has to be extremely compassionate and never talk down to them. One has to make allowances for kids who are cranky and those who have over protective parents." Something she paid to while grooming Yash Pathak for the role of Rahul, "We short listed 150 children who were brought down to 20 and then five. Yash was one of the five finalists and even during the workshop Subhash Ghai, Prakash Jha and myself could see his talent."
As to the right age for kids to start taking acting classes, Meghna says, "Five years onwards is the right age and summer time is the best time since it breaks the monotony of school and provides for a comprehensive personality development."
Advocating story telling and book reading sessions for children, Meghna however cautions, "Acting should never supersede studies but parents should also realise that studies aren''t the be all of a child. Its important for a child to grow and have a normal childhood."