Fear is a learnt emotion

Where did you vanish for a year?The kind of movies I do take tremendous preparation. Also, after a line-up like Bhoot, Pinjar and Ek Hasina ...

Where did you vanish for a year?
The kind of movies I do take tremendous preparation. Also, after a line-up like Bhoot, Pinjar and Ek Hasina Thi, I didn8217;t want to get into just anything. Acting is my biggest passion, but it8217;s not the be all and end all of my life. And it8217;s always great to be missed.

But your latest release Naina is yet another supernatural flick.
Yes, it is. But it8217;s unlike anything I have done before. I8217;ve never repeated myself.

Be it Kaun, Pyar Tune Kya Kiya, Bhoot or Ek Hasina Thi, you really use your eyes. Doesn8217;t that take a toll?
I know, it8217;s really tough. I just try to remain focussed.

Did you experience anything supernatural during shooting?
Well, I don8217;t know if you can call it that. But there is an underwater sequence that was shot at the Action Studios in London. I had to remain underwater for 20 seconds and I can8217;t swim to save my life. But somehow I managed. Everybody around me was stunned.

How do you destress?
I never take work home. I watch movies, read, travel and go out with my friends.

How do children react to you?
You8217;ll be surprised, but a lot of kids tell me they loved Bhoot. I remember a 10-year-old child telling me 8216;You really freaked me out, especially the scene where you grabbed a dagger to stab Ajay Devgan8217;. This proves what I learnt as a psychology student: Fear is a learnt emotion.

Are you afraid of ghosts?
No, but if I sense that there8217;s someone behind a curtain, I check it out.

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What spooks you out?
Snakes and lizards. They are too creepy.

Do you think you8217;ve got your due as an actor?
I think the media loves to label people and stars fall prey to that. Excuse my honesty, but I don8217;t think that any other actress has gone to the extent that I have. I8217;ve been more adventurous than anyone else.

Does it bother you?
It doesn8217;t anything me. I have never let awards or reviews govern my career. Ours is a very creative industry, but sadly it8217;s governed by fear and insecurity. I8217;m the only actress who has ventured beyond the parameters of commercial cinema. People haven8217;t been able to digest that, but I am happy in my space.

Do you agree with the industry8217;s view that you give hits only with Ram Gopal Varma?
I think that kind of talk is baseless.

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But he manages to get the best out of you.
Not only me. He also gets the best out of Rajpal Yadav, Amitabh Bachchan and Fardeen Khan.

Which has been your best performance till date?
I don8217;t know. How can I say? But it8217;s unfair to say that I perform well in only Mr Varma8217;s films. I liked my role in Dillagi. It was a good performance that didn8217;t get noticed.

Did you see Naach?
No.

You must have seen the promos.
Yeah, off and on. A little bit.

Did you feel Antara Mali looked a lot like you, especially in the songs?
No comment.

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Why aren8217;t you doing more films with The Factory?
There are two projects in the pipeline. But I still have to decide. That8217;ll take a while.

Don8217;t you miss your Chamma Chamma dance sequences?
Oh, I am dying to do a song and a comedy. But I8217;m not getting anything exciting. I hope someone will offer me something mad and comical.

Is it true that you are seeing a diamond merchant?
That8217;s utter nonsense. Every six months, somebody starts a new rumour.