Class Act

“Bhatt sa’ab said on Twitter that my performance is as stellar as Shabana Azmi’s in Arth…I couldn’t have asked for anything bigger,” says actress Divya Dutta,who has played the eponymous role in Monica,a film that essays the plight of ambitious small-town girls who become victims of scheming politicians. Dutta was in Lucknow—where major portion of the film has been shot—on Monday and addressed the Press along with other members of the cast and crew,including its producer,UP Congress leader Kush Bhargava.

“This is by far the most challenging role I have done and any actor/actress dreams of playing,” continued Dutta,who has also wrapped up recently a Sanjay Leela Bhansali production My Friend Pinto in which she will be seen with Pratiek,a children’s film Stanley ka Dabba and Haat: The Weekly Bazaar directed by Om Puri’s wife Seema Kapoor. “Life throws up choices and decision of only those who fall is termed wrong. Successful ends always justify the means and whatever one has done to be a winner is nobody’s business,” said Dutta,on the wannabe syndrome in the character she plays.

“There are obvious similarities between the protagonist and women like Shivani Bhatnagar and Neera Radia,but the film is more a commentary on how things move in the echelons of power,” said Sushen Bhatnagar,director of the film that touches the telecom scam and innumerable sleazy stories pertaining to politicos.

“Yes,there is a disclaimer saying no character bears any resemblance with any person dead or alive,but viewers will draw parallels,” says Bhargava.

The film has Ashutosh Rana playing the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh,who exploits a Lucknow girl to play a dangerous game and ultimately bumps her off.

Any reference to the highly discussed murder in the Bhargava family some years back?

“That is much too personal and even I don’t mention it to Kush,” says Bhatnagar,whose friendship with Bhargava goes back to when they made a telefilm called Kasak for Doordarshan. The two are working on another political thriller,but this would be in a lighter vein.