Working with Rajshri Productions is a revelation in itself. Did you ever dream of it that one day you'll work with them?Once we enter Bollywood, any actor on his or hers wish list has a couple of production houses he or she wants to work with. Rajshri is one of them and I was no different.
I've always wanted to work with Rajshri because of the way they portray human emotions on screen and the way they present their female leads. Rajshri's motto is simple living and high thinking. They are such a wonderful bunch of people to work with.
What makes Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi different from other Rajshri films?
The genre is more or less the same, what Rajshri uses in all their films. But the film will be a bit different as far as the story is concerned. It's not too much of a family involved this time. It's about a struggle of a woman and how a man stands by her.
I play a typical Rajshri heroine and Sonu Sood plays a typical 'Prem', Rajshri's favourite. Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi is a new look to Rajshri cinema in a way.
So how was it to work with a face not known by many in Bollywood - Sonu Sood?
There is always a first time for everyone. Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi is Sonu's first big film and even mine. I don't think anybody has presented me in the way Rajshri has. This is one of my best films in my career I've done, including Shabri, which is yet to be released.
What was so challenging after you mentioned that you've never been presented like this before?
I've never got an opportunity to showcase my talent in a way I've done in this film. I've never really got a script of this kind and the length too.
You will never see the emotions portrayed by me in this film somewhere else in my earlier films. To bring out the emotions and serious acting is the biggest challenge an actor goes through and if you are successful in that, you've won the battle.
Which Rajshri films inspired you the most?
Maine Pyaar Kiya. I was very small when I saw the film but I remember falling in love with Salman Khan after seeing the film. Even Hum Aapke Hai Kaun inspired me and somewhere down the line I wanted to be a part of that film. Now I have no regrets.But you weren't directed by Sooraj Barjatya…
I have no complaints as long I am working for the banner Barjatya. I can tell you something about working with the debutant Kaushikda. He looks frail and fragile, thin and short man but he has got a tremendous command over what he wants to bring out of his actors.
He is so thorough in whatever he was doing. I didn't go for any singing lessons because Kaushikda's vision is so good that I did whatever he told me to do. I was very convinced. The first day he started narrating the script to me, I started crying.
Rajshri is synonymous with its music too. Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi doesn't sound blockbuster kind. What say?
Well, I could be a little biased here because it's my film. I think there is a lot of variety in this film. I play a folk singer; there is a Qawali, classical and ghazal.
Then there are situational songs which move the film forward and backward six to seven years. There are songs with only two para's to add to the scene. At the end of it, you feel that there should've been more than 12 songs. It's Rajshri music after all.
What about the other roles which you've portrayed in your previous films? Aren't they special?
They are special but I do not identify with the 'khallas' kind of roles I've played in the past. In fact, I've done about twelve films in the South before I played a 'khallas' girl. All my South fans were pretty surprised and told me that they couldn't imagine me playing such a role.They couldn't see me so glamourised. I've always played a girl-next-door type of roles there. I am more comfortable playing the latter than the bold and glamourous types. The three films I've enjoyed doing the most are Kya Kool Hain Hum, Shabri and Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi.
The other film I'm really looking forward after this one is Hello Darling where I play a Haryanvi girl who comes to Mumbai for a job.
Do you think now-a-days, Rajshri going audiences have patience to watch a long film?
Well, this film is two hours and ten minutes long. But you're right. Today, the audiences have lost patience. They are more restless but at the same time the script matters.
Kaushikda is famous on small screen after directing serials like 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' and 'Sanjeevani'. That's how he started. So he is very fast and not used to stretching it too much. When you speak to him you'll understand his sensibilities. I myself was shocked.
I did a film in 120 days, which is almost half a year. You normally finish a film in three months. So I was shocked to see the film is of such a short duration, not because they've edited anything from the film. Hardly anything has been edited. It's because the cast and the crew have shot this film with so much love and affection.
So, the spell change is working for you huh?
Yeah. I've changed my name now. Somebody came up to me last November and said that my name which spells with an 'I' is not falling on an auspicious number and thus I should change it. The whole mankind tries and hopes. So I went for it. Let's see if it works.
Brief us a bit about Shabri.
Shabri is a story of a spoilt woman in Mumbai city and how she is sandwiched between the mafia and the cops. It's my best ever role and it's directed by yet another debutant Lalit Marathe. He had written Ram Gopal Varma's Bhoot.
So the entire journey of the Vivaah was smooth. Nothing went wrong?
Actually, it's good you mentioned this because one day on the sets I collapsed. I was dehydrated and was immediately taken to my dad's hospital.
We've been talking about Vivaah all this while. Let's get more serious. When do you plan to get married?
I really don't know. With six releases this year, definitely not. I've just got into a relationship and have started dating a guy. So will take a while. Having said that, we are very serious about each other and are planning to get married but not so soon. We haven't fixed any dates as of now but will keep you posted as soon as I'm ready.
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