Mumbai: Mahima Makwana has spent more than a decade and a half moving between television, films and streaming, steadily expanding the range of characters she takes on. From her early days as a child actor in Balika Vadhu to her work in Telugu cinema and Hindi projects, the actor says she is now less interested in chasing a particular platform and more drawn to stories that have a strong emotional core.
Her latest outing, Netflix’s Musafir Cafe, has brought that philosophy into sharper focus. As Preeti Kaushik, Mahima has become one of the most discussed parts of the series, with viewers debating her character’s choices and finding personal connections with her journey.
For Mahima, that response is the most rewarding part of acting.
Mahima Makwana on 16 years in the industry
Looking back at her journey, Mahima credits her mother, Meena Makwana, for recognising her potential when she was young and encouraging her to pursue acting.
“I feel grateful. Like everybody, I’ve had my ups and downs, but I am who I am because of my mother (Meena Makwana), she saw something in me and pushed me to pursue this dream,” she said.
Having entered the industry as a child, Mahima says she did not initially have a carefully mapped-out career plan. Her experiences over the years gradually taught her to understand the craft and appreciate the opportunity to inhabit different lives through performance.
She describes acting as a profession filled with uncertainty but says the emotional rewards can make the challenges worthwhile.
“Hard work has no substitute”
Mahima believes patience has been as important to her career as hard work.
“My journey has taught me that hard work has no substitute, and you have to be patient because there’s genuinely nothing in your control,” she said.
The actor acknowledges that opportunities can sometimes be limited, particularly in an industry where careers do not always progress in a predictable manner.
“Sometimes the work being offered is limited, so you have to make the most of what’s in front of you,” she added.
For Mahima, remaining committed during quieter phases is part of surviving an industry where success is never guaranteed.
Mahima Makwana looks towards South cinema again
Mahima’s association with South Indian cinema began with her Telugu debut Venkatapuram in 2017, followed later by Mosagallu. She says her early experience was challenging because of the language barrier and the unfamiliar working environment.
“Language was a big barrier… I was too young to understand the language, and it was unknown territory, so I was scared and sceptical,” she recalled.
Her perspective has changed since then. Mahima says she is now open to exploring more opportunities in South Indian cinema.
“I’m looking forward and ready for whatever South cinema has to offer,” she said.
A recent visit to Hyderabad also renewed her affection for the city, particularly its food. She hinted that the trip was connected to a project that she is not yet ready to discuss.
Why Musafir Cafe connected with viewers
Mahima believes Musafir Cafe resonated because its story goes beyond a conventional romance.
For her, the characters of Sudha, Preeti and Chandra represent different emotional stages that audiences can recognise in their own lives.
“I think it’s the genre of the show, because all of us have been Sudha, Preeti and Chandra at different points in our lives,” she explained.
She sees the series as a story about love, self-discovery and the way relationships can change how people understand themselves.
“It’s not just a love story, but also about self-discovery, different people entering our lives, and how they change our understanding of love and ourselves,” Mahima said.
The show’s willingness to leave its characters in complicated situations, rather than providing straightforward answers, is another quality she believes makes it relatable.
“Love, life and people are complex, and the show explores that through these three characters,” she said.
“People are seeing themselves in Preeti”
The response to Preeti has been particularly significant for Mahima.
Social media discussions around the series have produced strong loyalties between viewers supporting Preeti and those backing Sudha. Rather than being overwhelmed by the debate, Mahima says she is delighted that audiences care so deeply about the character.
“We honestly didn’t expect the show to blow up the way it did, so I’m very happy,” she said.
She believes Preeti’s emotional openness is one reason viewers have connected with her.
“People are seeing themselves in Preeti, which is what actors hope for — that audiences don’t just like the performance but resonate with the character,” Mahima said.
She added that she has rarely experienced such an intense audience response to one of her characters, with viewers rooting for Preeti, defending her and questioning the choices made in the story.
For Mahima, Preeti’s defining quality is her willingness to stand by the person she loves.
“We all want someone who chooses us, and she is someone who will have your back and choose you,” she said.
The unresolved aspects of Preeti’s journey have also left room for speculation about a potential second season.
Mahima wants stories that challenge her
When deciding what to do next, Mahima says the script remains the biggest consideration.
“The most important one is a great script, and I’m very instinctive when it comes to my decision-making,” she said.
She is particularly attracted to projects that challenge her creatively or introduce her to a world she has not previously explored.
Platform and scale, she suggests, matter less than the material itself.
For Mahima, the ideal project is ultimately one that gives her the opportunity to discover something new as an actor.
More projects are on the way
The actor has already lined up several projects beyond Musafir Cafe. She revealed that a feature film is coming soon and will be significantly different from the work audiences have seen from her in the Netflix series.
She also has another project scheduled for release next year and has completed work in the independent film space.
After years of moving between television, regional cinema, Hindi films and streaming, Mahima’s next phase appears to be guided by the same principle she now values most: finding stories with genuine human connection.
