Though she is busy with promoting her first film as leading lady, she spoke about her days in advertising, her passion for acting, her initial struggle and how doing a role in the Sonam Kapoor-Abhay Deol-starrer changed her life for good
From copywriting to acting…what a journey!
I must say that the journey has been very exciting. After doing my PG in mass communication I joined an advertising agency where I worked as a copywriter. I gradually realised that because of my job I wasn’t able to spare enough time for my primary passion: acting. There came a point when I said to myself, we live just once, why not take a leap of faith and give acting a shot!
I did go through a lean patch when I was going with my portfolio to various production houses, then one day I got the opportunity of doing a character role in Aisha. I was just about to give up and go back to advertising, but thanks to that movie, my life changed for good.
The role in Blood Money is also because of my role in Aisha. Emraan Hashmi’s wife (Parveen) had noticed my work in Aisha and it was she who recommended my name to the Blood Money director (Vishal Mahadkar), via Emraan. I was called for an audition and Vishal was so impressed that he took me on board right away!
Tell us a little about your role in Blood Money.
I play the role of Aarzoo, who is a nursery school teacher and is married to Kunal Khemu. The character is based on Parveen Hashmi (who is also a nursery school teacher in real life) and in the film you see the transition of my character from a middle class wife to that of a super-rich one. The love between me and Kunal is very pure and the success of the film’s music testifies that we have been able to establish that in a good way. The sudden lifestyle change does make me first happy and then a little suspicious about the changing scheme of things. At the moment this is all I can say, but do watch the movie to find out how things unfold.
Your co-star in the film, Mia Uyeda has some steamy scenes. Would you be comfortable doing these?
We were cast in our respective roles because of a reason. I wouldn’t be comfortable doing such scenes. (Pauses) Actually, I haven’t thought about that. During the shoot of the film I and Mia did become good friends. It also helped that she was the only other girl on the sets.
What is your approach to the role you play?
It totally depends on the characters that I play. For my role in Aisha, I had to do a lot of research because I didn’t know the space that it existed in. For Blood Money I didn’t have to do much, as the role is that of a contemporary girl. I did spend some time with Parveen Hashmi, on whom the role is modeled, and I also spent a day at a nursery school just to soak in the ambience. Mahesh Bhatt sa’ab also chipped in with some tips, so it wasn’t very difficult.
Vishal Mahadkar is a first time director; did you have any apprehensions?
Absolutely not! Vishal was very clear about what exactly he wanted from each one of us. I saw his passion for making this film when he first narrated it to me. It is very important to have a good working relationship with the director and thanks to that, I am happy with the way the film has turned out.
Your first film as a leading lady is releasing in a few days; are you nervous?
Actually I have been too busy with the promotional activities, going from city to city to feel nervous. Maybe in a few days the nervousness and the excitement will sink in.