Tanushree’s Balancing Act

WELL MANNERED, WELL SPOKEN AND WELL GROOMED IS WHAT ALL THE MISS INDIAS BOAST OF. SO WHAT MAKES ONE DIFFERENT FOR BEING A PROMISING ACTRESS IN THE INDUSTRY? IT'S THE ART OF LEARNING THE ROPES TO SUCCESS, SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE LEARNT WITH EVERY FALL, AND KNOWING THAT THERE IS A GREATER OBSTACLE BEYOND EVERY WALL. WELL EQUIPPED WITH THE NIRVANA YOU ATTAIN ALONG THE WAY, YOU SHOULD KNOW TO PLAY THE CARDS AND WHEN.

A glorified win and then Bollywood happens, this very much sums up what the stunner Tanushree Dutta's road to Bollywood has been, before the actress in her became known. From being a rank newcomer to becoming an actress, Tanushree is learning to walk the fine line. You meet her and you can't help notice the poise and the manner in which she conducts herself throughout. She is still better known for her early films, where she seduced minds with her steamy scenes, but her recent flick 'Raqeeb' saw her in a different light. This decision seems like a well thought over move to change from the genre of films she has been seen in.

"I'm new and have just about entered the industry and I think right now, my focus should be on good films, a good role and to concentrate on how much I'm going to get out of it. When I got this film, I thought it would be a welcome change to do something different." The co-actors she worked with were also each of a different genre. Wasn't she sceptical about the film being mistaken for an offbeat one?

"I hardly consider the issue of my co-actors, because eventually they are nice people. As long as I don't think someone will trouble me, I don't refuse any film on the basis of my co-star. In fact, all the people I've worked with are accomplished in their own way. Rahul, Jimmy and Sharman are acclaimed actors in the respective genres they have worked with. Despite that, they came into this particular film. Times are changing and when on the one hand, you are in one kind of film or the other, the same people are doing commercial film also."

Her screen time in Bollywood has been as a solo heroine, opposite well established actors, be it 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne' with Emraan Hashmi or 'Chocolate' with Anil Kapoor, Arshad Warsi and the likes, but surprisingly, one saw more of Tanushree doing special appearances rather than full fledged roles lately. Aren't such decisions detrimental to one's career? "After 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne' and 'Chocolate', the films I signed were 'Raqeeb', 'Good Boy Bad Boy' and 'Dhol' which I signed much later. After my first two films, I was offered dime a dozen roles. There was a lot of buzz about this new girl that had come.

A lot of people thought that I was being stupid by refusing so many films which required bold roles, kissing scenes and all. But my point was that if I continue doing the same things in my life, then I would stagnate as a person," she reasons. "Even in my daily life, I don't like to look at the same people, meet similar people and eat the same things actually. For me to do the same kind of work everyday is very frustrating."

Has she gone up to producers and asked for work? "Yes," she insists. "I did that for some time, and then I was offered 'Good Boy Bad Boy'. I realised there was potential in the role and I have something different to do than what I had done. Then I got 'Raqeeb' where I got a negative role and picked it up. And after I worked with Priyan in 'Bhagam Bhag', I was offered 'Dhol' and so I took that up. These were the films I signed on the basis of my first few films. The item songs I did for my own fancy. I can't even say that they are connected to my career in any way.

I did them because I wanted to. Sometimes I just did such work to fill up the gap. I am obsessed with seeing myself on screen. I knew these films ('Raqeeb', 'Good Boy Bad Boy' and 'Dhol') will take a certain time to release and I also wanted to work with Priyan Sir. I didn't know when he would offer me a film and when I will get an opportunity to work with him, so I took it up. And the first opportunity that came my way was the song 'Signal' in 'Bhagam Bhag'. Who knows about the future? I thought when I was getting an opportunity to do a song, let me do it.

Also, in songs, you don't have to think so much. I love dancing and it has become one of my passions. Not many people know that I had two-left feet at some point in time. When I did 'Saiyan Dil Mein…' video (her first music video) the choreographer taught me with a stick in her hand. One whip and I would dance. I actually had to rehearse for seven whole days, five hours a day just for the half a minute dance sequence. And most of the time, they shot close ups. But I did get a lot of shows after that.

I had stage fright and I was quite inhibited to dance on stage," she enthusiastically confesses and continues, "Miss Universe happened a year after the video happened. But the video changed everything. To dance on stage is quite a different thing. But it was only after doing so many stage shows that I was easy with dancing. And that brought about immense amount of confidence. So then, when I knew to dance on stage, walking the ramp and talking the talk was like a cakewalk," she informs, referring to her stint with the beauty pageant.

With so many beauty pageant winners crowding the industry, winning the title could well be a ticket to fame before entering the industry. "No no, in,fact, I always wanted to be a Miss India. I know people have different ambitions. But I'd seen this contest when I was very young and dreamt about it for nine long years. I had seen Sushmita and Aishwarya's international pageant. I saw it all wide and starry eyed and said to myself that I want to do that sometime. I would wear that crown. Initially, it started as a childhood dream and I never spoke to anyone about it. Eventually, it came to a point when I seriously started thinking and weighing my options, considering it.

I came to Pune and started with taking part in my college's fashion show. Later, I packed my bags and came to Mumbai not knowing anyone here. Initially, I stayed with some friends of mine and later, gave auditions, did a few ad films. Then I got the music videos that got me stage shows and I started travelling across India and abroad. Then, at one point in time, I got bored, and I thought I'd had enough of that and wanted to get into films. Acting is so vast. There are so many characters that I can play. In modelling, I felt restricted and couldn't spread my wings enough. And when I started getting offers after Miss India, I picked it up."

One sees her as a adventurous actress, not intimidated by her bold tag, but with the kind of films she is looking for, does she find it difficult to come out of this image and venture out to try different roles? "I never planned towards any image nor did I work to come out of it. It just happened. I did 'Chocolate', a film where I played a sexy and bold character. Add to it 'Aashiq Banaya Aapne', the character was simple but the film had bold scenes in them. The impact of both films coming together with a new girl resulted in the opinion that this new girl has a bold image. And I was ok with it.

I have said no to many offers that came my way with the same thing, but I wasn't thinking consciously of it as an image change'. I'm too young in the industry to think all this. I cannot even categorically think of which image I should take on and which I shouldn't. I go purely by my instinct, my feelings and what my mood tells me. Obviously when you are new, you have so much of enthusiasm, you want to do different roles. People told me that I can't be so choosy at the start of my career, I said, 'Let's see what happens'. Surprisingly, my conviction paid off and I got 'Good Boy Bad Boy' and 'Raqeeb' where they didn't expect me to wear skimpy clothes.

I know it's not always like this, but there were these few people who saw beyond me. A lot of people just saw my figure, my waist size, my hair, my make up, and said 'Oh, this girl looks good'. Some people just saw that she is hot and has done some bold scenes. But there were these people who saw me for my performance. I'm not saying that I've done an Oscar winning performance in those films. But they knew what my potential is, how far my performance can be stretched and how much can be extracted out of me."

Tanushree has signed a three-film contract with Subhash Ghai. One, being her special appearance in Ghai's '36 China Town', and the second being 'Good Boy Bad Boy'. The third has still to be finalised. How important is it to be a part of a big banner? "It is important, the reason being that the people behind the banner have many ears of experience and they know exactly how to promote the film. Today, it's ironical, but it's true that the best of films don't get their due if they have not been promoted well. And sometimes, there are bad films which have been promoted well, and they have taken away the cake. So good banners take care that they promote the actor better. Also, you learn a lot from them since the people involved with it are experienced."

It's been two years since she had made her debut in the industry, has she been well received as an actress here? Does she feel she has finally been taken seriously? "I don't know how seriously, but I think they have. I think they are pretty much comfortable with me being around. One thing is certain, that even if they don't think I'm a superb actress or anything, they definitely think I have potential. They definitely don't think that I am good for nothing, and they don't think that I'm a big shot or mega actress. I think I am in the most comfortable position right now, where I can do things at my own will.

Anyways, I don't like people expecting too much out of me. Then
I get my own pace to deliver what I have to. I am very happy with the way things have shaped up. But I can say that there are a small section of sharp people who have noticed my potential, so the others will join the bandwagon soon." (Laughs). Not many may have realised that this beauty queen put on kilos suddenly. Ask her if that affected the offers she got, and she chuckles.

"I don't know. I guess it's probably because of my schedule and lifestyle. I did put on weight initially, for a South film. Also, I don't think it affects me much. There are lot of filmmakers to whom it doesn't matter if my waist if 24" or 28". What matters for them now is how much I can deliver. And they probably have that much confidence in me. By God's grace, I'm back in shape and they are all the more happy."

Not so long ago, the industry was buzzing with the rumours of Tanushree dating the young director Aditya Dutt, then a split. How true is that? "Not true at all.

I think rumours are rumours. There is nothing going on between us. We have hung out together, and chilled out together. And we have some common friends, so we're seen together. Fortunately or unfortunately, a lot of other people from our group are not well known in the industry, so I guess that's why we get linked up.

These days I feel scared also to say 'Just friends' because people will say 'Oooohh, friends? Can't you think of a better dialogue?' Now, most have stopped saying it and have started accepting things. Also I have realized that people just don't want to see me single. I have read such rumours so many times. I guess they just want me to get into a relationship, they are not happy seeing me single. Let's see now." (Laughs)