Lisa Ray's comeback vehicle to Bollywood: Deepa Mehta's comedy movie, Stella

Out West, they think she's Satyajit Ray's daughter!

Lisa Ray is only too happy to be imbued with literary antecedents. After all, she once said she wanted to be a novelist and it's great to know, she's not entirely given it up.

"For now, I am totally engrossed in my acting career, especially after the release of Water. Writing is something I will take up, when I am very old and cannot move, because for now, I am enjoying my acting," she clarifies.

After her critically-acclaimed performance in Water, the controversial lesbian film - I Can't Think Straight - and the action thriller - Kill Kill Faster Faster - Lisa is working with Deepa Mehta again in the comedy, Stella.

The film began shooting hush-hush in Delhi, on a start-to-finish stretch this week.

This is Lisa's comeback to India after the steamy Kasoor in 2001, where she shared more than just screen space with her co-star Aftab Shivdasani.

Her inability to speak Hindi was one of the reasons, why she made no headway in Bollywood and returned to her home base in Canada.

Stella is Deepa's third film with Lisa.

She earlier did the light and frothy Bollywood/ Hollywood with Rahul Khanna in 2002, besides the controversial Water.

In Stella, she's perfectly cast as a 32-year-old Indian-Canadian in Delhi and looks a natural choice, for the part.

Lisa's co-stars in Stella are the Canadian TV phenomenon, Scott Speedman and the NRI Punjabi theatre-actor, Vajendra who makes his screen debut as Preity Zinta's husband in Deepa's Punjabi film, Heaven On Earth.

On the personal front, things seem to be perfect for Lisa, however she reveals that marriage is not for her.

"Well yes, I am living with someone and I am very happy. I do not believe in marriage, and that is how it's going to be!" she declares.

Lisa Ray's lesbian act in 'I Can't Think Straight'

It seems like alternate sexuality is here to stay. After a spate of coming-out-of-closet films like "Brokeback Mountain" and "Kinsey", comes Lisa Ray and Sheetal Seth's lesbian love story titled "I Can't Think Straight".

The film is based on director Shamim Sharif's autobiographical book. Sharif has just finished shooting "I Can't Think Straight". It's been filmed in London and Oxford.

Lisa, who plays a rather unconventional role in Sharif's film, has just been wowing the world in Deepa Mehta's Oscar-nominated "Water".

Mehta is tightlipped about her protégé's foray into another kind of cinema. Lisa was chosen for "Water" following a shortlist that included Tabu and Kareena Kapoor.

"I've no idea what Lisa is doing with her career. I know she's very much in demand after 'Water'. Beyond that I've no comments to make," Mehta said.

Aseem Bajaj, who shot Pritish Nandy Communications' "Chameli", is the director of photography for "I Can't Think Straight". He doesn't foresee any controversy erupting.

"I won't say the film is going to be controversial, not in this day and age. Sharif has handled the theme with great delicacy."

Bajaj is also shooting Sharif's next film titled "The Reader", a scandalously tender love story about a blind teacher in Oxford and her student. It is based in a post-World War II scenario

Lisa Ray plays a lesbian

After acting in box office average grossers like Kasoor and cross over movies like Hollywood Bollywood, Lisa Ray wants to experiment with more challenging roles now. The pretty model-turned-actress is all set to play the role of a lesbian in her forthcoming English movie I can’t think straight.

The movie is the directorial debut of Shamim Sarif, the author of The World Unseen and Despite The Falling Snow and is also the writer for the movie.
Shamim is comfortable about her film and is herself in a homosexual relationship with her partner. “Same-gender love isn’t an issue today.”

Though she reveals, “Indian actresses in the UK had issues with the sex scenes, they wanted to be covered with sheets. But she is all praise for Lisa, she says, “She didn’t bat an eye-lid and took to the character and auditioned for it right away. Her role is that of an Arab Palestinian girl.”

Meanwhile, the movie is facing a tough time with one of the producers shying of from the film’s production support. But, the movie is almost complete and will be released soon for UK audiences first.