KAREENA KAPOOR IS GOING PLACES
With many prestigious projects from both commercial and parallel cinema under her belt, Kareena Kapoor is fully exploiting current diversity in Hindi cinema. She's made it all the way to the top. And she makes it appear that even now the only way is up.
Post-Madhuri and Kajol, it is only Kareena Kapoor today who can convincingly portray a range as diverse as Poo ('Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'), Sanjana ('Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon'), a prostitute from Garhwal ('Chameli') and the legendary Mastani ('Bajirao Mastani'). Kareena is also completely exploiting the current diversity in Hindi cinema to do a cross spectrum of films that include Dharmesh Darshan's 'Bewafaa', two films with Abbas-Mustan (one a Subhash Ghai production), J P Dutta's war epic 'LoC' Kargil, Mani Ratnam's next, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Bajirao Mastani', Govind Nihalani's 'Dev', the late Anant Balani's 'Chameli' (now being directed by Sudhir Mishra), Deepa Mehta's 'Child River' and two films with Rituparno Ghosh -- a range most actresses are unwilling to do until they have been around for a decade or more.
Excerpts from an interview on the sets of 'Chameli' where you see her dressed in a gaudy red saree and a multicolor blouse befitting her character in the film.
Isn't it that from Poo, 'Khushi' and 'Sanjana' to 'Chameli' and 'Mastani' is a high jump?
Well, I guess it is! From dancing to songs in trendy outfits, I am now wearing this one saree costing Rs 400 throughout this film. The acting part is different too, for I have to be much more subtle and real than larger-than-life. 'Chameli' is a very real film that explores the meeting and interaction between a streetwalker from Garhwal and an investment banker, played by Rahul Bose. Refreshingly, this prostitute is comfortable in her life and there is no self-pity or desire to lead a respectable life. The entire film is about one rainy night. Actually the film was first offered to me a year ago and I turned it down because I thought that my family would not like me doing such characters. Then I thought that I should be primarily loyal to the actress within me.
What kind of research inputs went into your role?
I spent time in the red-light areas, observing the streetwalkers to get their body language and everything else right. I even spoke to them, and found that for most of them, prostitution was all about doing a job.
Since you are working with Rituparno Ghosh and Deepa Mehta, don't you feel that it's too early for an actress to do such in-depth roles?
Actually, I consider myself very lucky to be getting offers from the widest spectrum of filmmakers imaginable. Deepa's film, 'Child River, is about child widows. In one of the two Rituparno films, I play an aging zamindar's young wife. I am learning so much from these films and filmmakers who are coming to me on merit. Why should I turn them down?
How do you assess a potential assignment?
Over here, you do some films for growth, some for a friend, some for the money, and some to work with a specific director. You cannot use one yardstick for every assignment.
In your family, it was assumed once that the women would not act. So how and when did the acting bug bite you?
There was no realization - as long as I could remember I wanted to act! I sleep and breathe cinema and "films" must have been the first word that I uttered as a tot! Karisma made it easy for me by breaking the family rule and opening the gate, so that I just had to walk through!
Although the wedding is just a few days away, the world is yet to know the real reason for the break-up of your sister and Abhishek?
See, whatever the magazines may write, the fact is, there were misunderstandings between the two of them and only the two of them. Lolo is a very private person and she is yet in her shell. It's no point now talking about what went wrong between them. She's going to start a new life soon so let us leave her alone. I am very happy for her. She is a wonderful human being and deserves all the happiness in the world.
How close are you to your mom and dad?
Dad is a friend. But mom is God. Mom is someone whom you can't mess around with. Whatever my sister and I are today, it's because of her. My mummy has to just say, something has to be done and it's done. Similarly, if she says "no" for something, there's no way, Lolo or I would do it. We dote on her.
How emotional are you?
Emotional! There's a box of tissue papers on every table in my house. I'm too sentimental. I get upset very fast. I'm a very friendly girl and it hurts when someone is rude to me.
If you are so friendly and emotional, why is there a feeling that you are arrogant?
I get scared of getting hurt and, therefore, I try to pretend, I'm strong. May be, that comes across as arrogance. But people, who know me, can't believe the stories printed about me. Still, the press chooses to write that Kareena is snobbish. It's always happened with me. I've taken things lying down. But it's good because it has helped me as an actress. I bring out these pent-up emotions of mine, the stress and all the tension in the weepy scenes I do. That is why, perhaps, I don't need glycerin for emotional scenes.
How do you unwind?
I don't have too many close friends. But when I need to unwind, I go out for dinner to a restaurant or club with the close friends I have. In shooting schedules outside Mumbai, I watch TV after shooting hours.
How would you like to be remembered?
As someone who entertained the audience and was a pleasure to watch.
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