Nargis Fakhri has finally arrived in Bollywood with Madras Café

“I was clueless,” she laughs. “It was a disappointing time for me. I couldn’t share it with my mother. Because she would’ve just ordered me home. But there was no dearth of work. I was getting these endorsements,shooting magazine covers. But very frankly Rockstar was too vast an experience and culturally too distanced from where I come from,for me to handle. I didn’t understand the culture or the milieu. Just imagine if tomorrow you’re offered the main lead in a big Chinese film where they tell you,you are the ideal choice. That’s exactly how I felt when I was did Rockstar.”

Madras Café fitted Nargis’ personality. “I play a journalist. And I was required to speak only in English. My Hindi is still rusty. But at least now I understand Hindi,so when John Abraham speaks to me I am not lost. And I got to speak in my voice in Madras Café. So it’s one consistent performance visually and vocally. Speaking in someone else’s voice in Rockstar was very confusing for my performance. I should’ve insisted on using my own voice. I guess I am not the kind of who girl who throws a tantrum to get her away.”

What Nargis enjoyed in Madras Café was her role’s austere minimalist approach. “The girl I play is a no-nonsense professional. I didn’t have to wear heavy makeup,false eyelashes. I was required to behave as naturally as possible.”