Manisha Kelkar is a woman who wears many hats. An accomplished Marathi actor, she made her debut with Hyancha Kahi Nem Nahi in 2007. Since then she has played varied roles in Marathi cinema. Simultaneously, Manisha pursued the world of racing with equal vigour.As she trains hard for her upcoming event in Dubai, DC caught up with the actress for a quick chat.Q Congrats on your selection for this prestigious tournament. How does it feel and what kind of prep are you doing?Till now I was racing for myself. But now I have been blessed with the opportunity of representing my country. It is a big responsibility and I have to win for India. This is also the first Nations Cup. The prep is important. I’m training in UK, then Sweden and finally Dubai. It is very holistic track training and includes yoga, meditation, endurance and weight lifting. Receiving a lot of support from my country is giving me all the motivation I need.Q You like to begin your day by listening to Bhaja Govindam we understand. What draws you to this?I listen to different kinds of music depending on my mood. A friend sent me singer Anuradha Paudwal’s rendition of the Bhaja Govindam, which is based on an ancient prayer by Adi Shankaracharya. This bhajan elevates my energy levels and I listen to it in the morning and at night as well.Q How did your love for racing begin?I started my training in 2005 in carting but the Federation shut down for some time, so there was a huge gap. During that time I decided to venture into films and hosting to keep my myself occupied. In 2018, when motorsports was back in India, I began again. I believe the Universe has put me in the right place at the right time.Q You were bedridden for months after an accident in 2018. Can you talk about that phase in your life?It was the scariest episode in my life but it has made me stronger too. Everything happens for a reason. I crashed at a speed of 150. I was sitting behind the driver and had multiple injuries but I survived. Recovery was a process of beginning from Level 1 and working myself back to the top. Before the accident I could dead-lift 50 kgs and after the accident, I could not lift even one kg. So I had to literally train myself from scratch. But I was fortunate to have the support of my trainers and my friends who stayed by my bedside cheering me.Q How did you motivate yourself to get back to professional racing after the accident?I was warned by my doctor not to get back into racing, but my love for speed will not go till my last breath. I watched all the races while recuperating. Initially, the post-traumatic stress was challenging, I could not even sit in a car which was moving at 20 kms. I was glad I was able to move beyond this and pushed myself even when suffering discomfort to get back into professional racing.Q You are also a Marathi actress and popular host. How do the two worlds collide?I believe the Universe has a big role in this. You have to go with the flow and enjoy what you are doing. I’m in love with the camera. The feeling of emoting in front of the camera is as exhilarating as sitting behind a wheel to race. The professions may seem different but evoke the same passion within me.Q You completed a degree in microbiology and then opted to do your Masters in filmmaking. How did the shift happen?Education was important for my parents. My dad is a film writer and my mum is a classical dancer. They started working early in life. They wanted me to finish my education first and then pursue whatever field I wanted. I was a good student. I wanted to get into the Air Force to fly fighter jets but that did not work out. I was at a loss for a few days. Then I decided to pursue acting. I did my post-graduation in filmmaking to understand the medium better and fell in love with the entire process. But I was also drawn to the tracks and I pursued that too.
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