Glamour Girl

Warsaw where we were shooting is the most beautiful and stunning European city that I have seen. Since we were shooting outdoors most of the time, we got to enjoy the sites during shoots. Although, it was a very hectic schedule, on our day off, some of us cycled our way to the parks and museum. Everyday, we would be greeted by several fans, who would be waiting for us in the hotel lobby, which was very cool. Everything went better than planned and according to the schedule. I am very happy.

It’s the first time that you worked with Salman Khan. What is he like as a co-star?
Amazing! I have been working on Kick since December last year, so it has been a couple of months now. It was a very inspiring and a great learning experience. The way Salman approaches his work is remarkable. And it’s not only the fitness aspect, it’s about being serious about your work and focussing on your career— making sure that you know your character, dialogues etc. His hardwork is worthy of admiration.

A film with Salman Khan and a double role in Roy with Arjun Rampal and Ranbir Kapoor. Do you pinch yourself whether all this is a dream?
Definitely. The way I started out, with my first two films, not doing well, I never thought I would be doing a movie with Salman Khan and a double role with two leading actors! It’s a very exciting year for me, though it comes with a lot of pressure as well. I have to be focussed and work harder.

Any other actors you are now looking forward to working with?
Right now, it’s not about who I want to work with. I am just excited to be part of movies. Of course, I hope to work with more amazing actors in the future as well.

How do you look back at the phase when you had to struggle to make your mark?
I think every phase is a struggle. If you’re a number one actress and doing movies with all the big stars then matching up to them is a struggle. No matter where we stand, we struggle at every single point of our careers. Presently, I am doing an extremely commercial movie, and it’s a struggle to make sure that I am doing it well and not disappointing anyone. I am always questioning myself if I am working hard enough to make sure that everyone will watch it.

Do you think that acting can be taught?
I think acting comes with experience. Veryfew people are born actors. You can see it in the graphs of some actors. They are terrible in the beginning, but 24 films down the line and they become critics’ favourite and are appreciated for their work. Obviously, if you do so many movies you learn along the way. Ranbir Kapoor, I would say is a born actor, for sure.

How do you keep each character different when working in films like Murder 2 in which you played a model and Race 2?
I always take reference from different people or characters that I have seen. It could be a small piece of jewellery that could make a difference. You need to understand things like if your character is from a very good family then the way you react to things will also change, like you will be a little subtler about things. In Murder 2, the girl was from Goa. Since she was a model she was a little non-caring about her hair and didn’t care too much about how she was sitting. In Race 2, we kind of wanted to make her hair a little darker and her eye make-up a little bit stronger.

Would you call Murder 2 a turning point in your career?
Yes, the film was indeed a turning point for me because it was the first time I had a hit film. It brought in recognition, and I received several movie offers. Taking up the film was the best decision that I had made in my career, though I was very sceptical when I was approached for it. The film did wonders and exposed me to different kinds of cinema, made me more experimental and taking chances as an actor. That is the beauty of what we do. There’s no definite formula about what genre of film will work. It taught me that you need to be a little daring at times and most importantly, believe in the film that you are doing.

How do you intend to play the double role in Roy?
It’s very challenging. The stylists made each character look as different as possible, because they are two completely different people who are not connected to each other at all.
It’s like doing two different movies. One is opposite Ranbir and the other opposite Arjun Rampal. It boils down to different body language and so many other things that will make us stand out as different characters as well.

What are you most proud of?
Definitely being able to work in the film industry and making a career for myself. Looking back, I think how the hell did I do that! It feels very scary to me right now. But I actually did it, and am running my own house here and am pretty independent.

Who are your four am friends in the industry?
At four am, I am fast asleep.(laughs) I tell my friends to stay away from me after 11 because I need my sleep and I get up early to do yoga. I was lucky when I moved to Mumbai I made some good friends who were not from the industry, but continue being my friends. This kind of support system is really important when you live on your own in a city.

What’s on your mind right now?
Go back to Warsaw! It’s so hot here!