Strike a pose

Monikangana Dutta
Guzaarish
Monikangana Dutta,it seems,has discovered a treasure trove of sorts,by bagging her Bollywood debut with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Hrithik Roshan. “I have been a huge admirer of Sanjay Bhansali’s work. When he asked me if I would do the film,I was overwhelmed,” says Dutta,who immediately agreed. “Sanjay explained the role to me briefly and I consented,without thinking twice.” Dutta was flooded with film offers,from the time she started modeling. “Filmmakers were ready to pay me a huge sum. But I did not see myself as an actress,” she admits. It was Atul Kasbekar and other friends who inspired her. “I joined Anupam Kher’s acting class,which helped,” she says,excited about the star cast of Guzaarish. “Soon I shall go through the grind of dance classes,” she smiles.

Amruta Patki
Hide N Seek
Her modeling stint and Miss India title got her noticed in the fraternity,but it was her active involvement in social networking sites that got Amruta Patki her first Bollywood assignment— Hide N Seek. “Apoorva Lakhia contacted me through a networking site and asked me to send my photographs,after which he offered me the lead role,” says Patki excitedly. The film,a thriller,is about a bunch of friends,who face the fatal consequences of what happened in their childhood. “My character has many graphs to it. So I had to attend a 10-day workshop where I learnt stunts and watched similar films,” she says.

Parvaty Omanakuttan
United Six
Parvaty Omanakuttan has been a well-known face in the fashion circuit,post her win at the Miss World pageant,where she was crowned the first runner-up. But films are a different ball game,feels the 22-year-old. Talk about her debut United Six and Omanakuttan confesses that she’s glad that she waited for the right film at the right time. “When I was approached for this film,the script instantly sent positive vibes,” she says,adding,“The film is about six girls from different walks of life and how a situation unites them. And there is no male lead in the film,” she grins.

Lisa Haydon
Aisha
Better known for her Lakme and Garden endorsements,it is no surprise that Lisa Haydon too is bitten by the acting bug. She will soon share screen space with Sonam Kapoor and Abhay Deol in Aisha,the screen adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma.

For Haydon,there wasn’t a definitive moment when she chose Bollywood. “There was a stage in my modeling career where I felt it was time to infuse something new and acting came as a welcome change,” she says happy about being paired opposite Deol.

“I sought out an acting course during a modeling stint in New York which I found incredibly beneficial,” she adds. Upon returning back to Mumbai she took up Hindi and diction classes. “Even when I am shooting through the day,I attend classes when I go home.”