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Journalism of Courage
After grabbing the spotlight as a model, this 23-year-old now makes her big screen debut in Fashion
You are lucky!8221; exclaim my male friends, envious of my lunch date with Mugdha Godse, the dusky model who is set to make her Bollywood debut with Madhur Bhandarkar8217;s Fashion this Diwali. We are to meet at Masala Mantar in Andheri, her favourite hangout in this part of the city.
Godse keeps her word and sails in at 1 pm, sharp. Dressed in a black Adidas singlet and denims, she is a sharp contrast to her glam avatar; her minimalistic look lends her a girl-next-door look.
8220;I hope I didn8217;t keep you waiting,8221; she exclaims as she drinks in the colourful interiors. 8220;I love its rustic look. Whenever I have time, I drop in for the spicy Punjabi fare they serve.8221;
As we take our seats, a chance to take a closer look at this bubbly 23-year-old reveals signs of exhaustion. Juggling between ad shoots, promotions and film dubbing has kept her on her toes. 8220;But I am so excited and nervous. Ever since the promos started on TV, the expectations have gone up,8221; she confesses.
In the movie, Godse plays Janet Sequeira, an unsuccessful model. Fashion, starring Priyanka Chopra in the lead alongside Kangana Ranaut and Arbaaz Khan, is a Diwali release and will face competition from EMI and Golmaal Returns.
But Godse remains unflustered as 8220;They all have different target audiences8221;. Her faith in her director adds to her confidence. 8220;The movie is about the emotional journey of models at different stages of their careers and Madhur has captured it aptly,8221; she asserts.
Between posing for photographs, Godse reveals that she had no idea she could act before she faced the camera. Hers has been the typical small-town-girl story.
8220;I studied in a Marathi medium school in Pune. It was at Symbiosis College that I understood the basics of grooming. I would make friends and go partying so that I could learn to conduct myself.8221;
Her ambitions drove her to become a part-time gym instructor and then a model. From modelling to movies, however, was simple. Bhandarkar spotted her at an ad shoot.
It was after Godse signed the film that the grill began.
She attended a crash course in acting at Anupam Kher8217;s acting school and enrolled for Kathak classes, which she claims have helped her synchronise expressions, moves and feelings.
Recounting her first time in front of the camera, she boasts at having given her first shot in just two retakes. 8220;And once the shot was done, everybody on the sets applauded. I can still hear the sound of those claps,8221; she adds.
The debutante is clearly focussing on her acting career now. She has cut down on her modelling assignments and has been attending various script-reading sessions.
Her three-movie deal with Percept is also in the pipeline. 8220;But you will see me at the forthcoming Lakme Fashion Week8212;this time as a showstopper,8221; she promises.
Success has clearly not affected her. Nibbling on tandoori brocolli, the petite model admits that at heart she is still the Marathi mulgi who is enamoured by the drama and dhishum-dhishum in Bollywood films and loves her varan bhaat with ghee and nimbu.
Right then, just like a genie, the waiter appears with a platter of another favourite, masala corn.
Bon appeacute;tit .
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