Though she gave another hit like Munnabhai MBBS, she disappeared into thin oblivion with eminently forgettable films like Armaan, Yehi Hai Zindagi, Shart, Wajah and Muskaan besides the successful Prakash Jha directed Ganga Jal.
On the sets of her latest film Desh Drohi directed by Jagdish Sharma, Gracy says, "The reason you do not get to see me in films these days is because I have become extremely choosy after working in films like Lagaan, Munnabhai MBBS and Ganga Jal."
What prompted you to take up this offer from a virtually unknown producer like Kamaal R Khan? "I opted to do this film though it does not have a starcast, only because I am playing a very strong character, which I have never played till date. The highlight of the film is that I perform a lot of stunts in the film and even ride a mobike," she says.
What is Desh Drohi all about? "Basically Desh Drohi which also stars Kamaal R Khan, the producer himself along with Hrishitaa Bhatt, Zulfi Sayyed, Neha Dhupia and Kim Sharma besides myself, dwells at length about how people struggle because of terrorism and negative vibrations. Zulfi Sayyed plays a police officer in the film."
Gracy confesses that she was quite upset when stories were spread by the PR department of Desh Drohi about how she had slapped an assistant on the sets and how she had coolly flown back to India leaving the unit stranded in Dubai because she was scared when the cops landed on location and the producer had not taken permission to shoot. "It was only after they assured that they would not use my name and plant such false stories in the media to garner publicity for the film, that I gave them further dates.The shooting is now complete. Today is the last day of the shoot."
"Yet another reason that you do not get to see me in any film these days, is that I have chosen to work in predominantly women oriented films like Aseema, White Land and Chanchal, which distributors refuse to touch these days," exclaims Gracy and adds, "I am glad, that in spite of the fact that these films do not easily get a buyer, there are producers, who are bold enough to make films which they want to make."
Talking about her approach to her role as an actor, Gracy says, "I am happy to be a part of a few projects which have content. I agree that I had made a big mistake by signing some bad projects in the beginning of my career after the success of Lagaan. It was because I did not have any experience. It was then that I decided to take a break and concentrate on my ballet."
Talking about her growth over the years as an actress, ever since she began her career in the TV serial Amaanat, Gracy says that she does not feel that she has yet started her career. "I am still waiting for the right kind of project. I have already acted in Oriya, Punjabi, Bengali, Telugu and Kannada films. I am keen on working in films in different languages including Tamil, Malayalam and Marathi and create a record as an actress."
Gracy admits that she is not too comfortable with the kind of roles that she is being offered these days. "I always wish that I should have been born 40 years ago as an actor so that I could have managed to play roles like Meena Kumari or for that matter Nutan did in those days."