She walked into the party with a bored expression on her face. She looked around, disinterestedly, saving her pretty smile for the people she knew. That didn't stop the others from gushing about how pretty she looked. And Farida Jalal did look sweet, a bit more mature of course, but definitely as sweet as she did in Aradhana.For those who freak out on this elegant lady, here's the latest. After tickling your funny bone in Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and Dekh Bhai Dekh (repeating on Sony), she is back in Daal Mein Kala (Star Plus). Then there is Star Yaar Kalakaar on Sony, a star-studded affair, where she gets her tinsel town colleagues and other celebs to play the game by her rules.For an actress who's been so well received on both the small screen and the big screen, Jalal is quite content talking about just the latter. And getting her to talk on that is tough enough. She seems to have this strange fascination for the roof and the floor. While alternating between the two, she said a couple of things-about herself, her films and what she thinks of television.For starters, she doesn't think too much of television. `'I prefer doing films. Also, I have so many lined up that I hardly get time to do television, which involves daily shoots at a stretch. In television there is no respite,'' she explains. So, she prefers films to serials. Well, that's okay as long as she does a couple of the latter every once in a while.In case you are hoping that she'll change her mind about TV, forget it. She is quite sure about what she wants. For instance, she always knew she wanted to be an actress and winning the Filmfare Talent Show paved the way for her. She was noticed and landed her first role in Taqdeer. It was followed by a spate of films, but she seldom played the lead role. ``Everybody asks me that. But I don't know why things worked out the way they did,'' she says matter-of-factly.Okay, so she has no clue as to why her career graph is the way it is. Also, she doesn't like dwelling on the past. ``To be honest, I am enjoying this phase of my life more,'' she says with an air of finality.The conversation moves on. Why so many comedies on TV? ``I enjoy doing comedy and it's a tough thing to do. Most film roles involve emotional drama, serious stuff. Comedy is refreshing,'' she says, adding that TV today doesn't really have quality comedy.Farida Jalal, who is totally ``in love with the camera'', is very choosy about her roles. ``I am not getting any fabulous offers today. Most of them are motherly roles. But I look for moments in a script. If I feel that a scene is well written and mine, I sign the film.''There are moments in films that make her burst out laughing or cry her heart out. ``I love seeing films and I am the kind who bawls through the sensitive parts. My friends tease me that even though I belong to a world where glycerine brings out the tears, I cry during films,'' she admits, adding that her all time favourite is Dilwale Dulhaniyan Le Jayenge.Her face lights up as she talks about the film and how nice it was. And, in that one moment you see the spontaneous, vivacious Farida Jalal, the one you're familiar with on the screen. Big or small.
