Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the legal thriller “Kasoor”, actor Lisa Ray on Tuesday shared a poignant tribute, recalling the industry skepticism she faced for the film.
Despite warnings from all quarters that audiences were not ready for such strong female leads, the Vikram Bhatt directorial, released on February 2, 2001, became a landmark film.
Ray starred as a determined lawyer defending a wealthy journalist, played by Aftab Shivdasani, only to uncover chilling evidence that pointed toward his guilt.
Ray shared a video montage of the scenes from the film on her Instagram handle.
“25 years of ‘Kasoor’. Let that sink in. When I said yes to this film, it felt like stepping into my power—quietly but decisively. A strong female character. A real arc. Emotional complexity. No big dance numbers. No formula. It was dark, internal, and led by feeling rather than spectacle. In many ways, ‘Kasoor’ represented everything Bollywood wasn’t at that moment,” she wrote in the caption.
Also read: Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ teaser out
Ray made her acting debut in 1994 with the film “Hanste Khelte”. The actor is also known for featuring in the music video for Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s “Afreen Afreen”, which released in 1996.
The 53-year-old actor said she refused many mainstream films back in the 90s. “Looking back, I can honestly say ‘Kasoor’ was one of the early films that helped shift how women could be portrayed on screen—not perfect, but purposeful. Something about the performances, the mood, the feeling we evoked… it endured. I would be remiss if I did not thank @divyadutta25 for lending her distinctive voice to Simran Bhargav.”
“Most of all, thank you to the audience. For watching. For remembering. For proving—again and again—that strong female stories don’t fade. They wait. And then they last. Footage – @visheshfilms,” she added.