The characters, actor Deepti Naval impersonates in her films are real and honest just like her. The versatile actor who has steered clear of stereotypes and has lived on her own terms, returned to the big screen after a self-imposed exile. And this time again, she managed to win plauds for her performance.

Deepti’s power packed performances whether in parallel films like Damul, Junoon, Ek Baar Phir, Kamla, Saath Saath and Katha, or laughter riots like Rang Birangi, Chashme Buddoor or Angoor - all proved her efficacy as an actress. But that was Deepti’s first innings. The second time round, the sensitive actor returned with more mature and sensitive roles with Leela, Freaky Chakra and Shakti. And along the journey her fans also got to witness the actor’s finer side of life too, as she dabbled with the color palette, did photography and wrote scripts. Not to forget, several of her poems were also published recently.

In Pune, as part of the international jury for the 4th Pune International Film Festival, while viewing and reviewing movies the entire day, Deepti agrees to talk about her work. And as the photo session begins, Deepti readily gives our photographer few tips on photography. So why haven’t we seen her in any movie lately? “Don’t write about what I am not doing. Write about what I doing,” she says as a matter of factly. “I have just finished shooting for Goutam Ghose’s film “Yatra” she remarked. Is it an offbeat film or a mainstream movie? Deepti hates classifying films and shows her disapproval when we ask her this question. “Please don’t categories the film,” she says curtly.

Apart from acting the lady is busy planning to take her exhibition ‘Frozen River Trek in the Zanskar Valley’ to galleries all over the place.

She has also written a number of poetry books. Her poems deal with different aspects of life – from broken relationships, communal riots to suicides. “But the dearest part of the book is a section called The Silent Scream, which is based on the women in a mental asylums,” she tells us. A perfectionist to the core, the actor prefers to live her character’s life before portraying it. “Once when I was working on a script, I stayed in a mental asylum for two weeks and earlier on I had studied the mentally ill women for my role in Ankahi and Main Zinda Hoon,” informs Deepti.

That’s not all. The talented performer is also doing her bit of social work. “I have a trust through which we educate orphan girls,” says she. Remarkable indeed! But any plans of direction? “Nope. I am enjoying what I am doing,” concludes Deepti.