BALAYYA MADE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE from TOI
In a candid tete-e-tete with Hyderabad Times, former modelturned-actress Sonal Chauhan talks about her comeback to Tollywood, politics, intimate scenes and her rumoured link-up with Neil Nitin Mukesh
AS Sashidhar
From a pageant winner to film actress, Sonal Chauhan has come a long way. After her successful Bollywood debut Jannat, Sonal made her T-Town debut with Rainbow. Although the film did not fare well, the glam diva managed to bag the lead role in Balakrishna's forthcoming film, Legend.
"I really don't know how I got this offer. I believe in destiny and it has brought me here. I did Rainbow at a very young age, just when I had passed out of school. I was fascinated by the aura surrounding filmdom, fame, money, etc. I was excited with the offer and the prospect of being in front of the camera. Recently, I got a call from the production house and after some time, I began shooting for Legend," informs Sonal, adding, "Working with Balakrishna has been an enriching experience. Although he's a big star, he was down-to-earth, very supportive and made me feel extremely comfortable on the sets. It's a privilege working with such an actor."
With her Bollywood debut, the most talked-about aspect was her kissing scenes with Emraan Hashmi. However, she says that there's nothing intimate about the scenes. "People don't understand that Jannat is a clean entertainer and one of the best films in Emraan's career. I played the role of an innocent girl-next door and my character was beautifully written. There's nothing sensual or intimate about that. It's really unfortunate that Emraan Hashmi has been tagged as a serial kisser. But I think he proved that he's an actor," says Sonal.
A few years later, she was in news for her alleged link-up with her 3G co-star, Neil Nitin Mukesh, who publicly confessed to "being in love" with her, which she vehemently went on to deny. "Neil is a great co-star and a good friend. I think media twisted his statements and I'm sure that's not what he meant. Though I think such statements ruin our rapport, we never got into such discussions since it gets awkward. We would laugh at all the gossips. Just because we are working together does not mean we are dating. I would like to make it very clear that I am single at the moment. I have noticed that whenever two young actors work together, people start linking them up," maintains Sonal.
I like politics, but which party will give me a ticket?
The Jannat girl meanwhile is focusing on her career and wants to experiment with various roles. "I want to prove myself as a versatile actor and believe in exploring new avenues. I don't mind going bold if the character demands it. You cannot wear a salwar kameez when you're at a beach, isn't it? At the end of the day, we are actors stepping into the shoes of various characters," asserts Sonal, whose character in Legend is a mix of glamour and performance. And it's not her acting skills alone that she can boast of. Sonal also showcased her singing talent in 3G. But according to the actress, she is a "singer by chance". "We couldn't find a female playback singer whose voice matched my character. Composer Mithoon pushed me in the right direction and got the song rolling. So, now I've decided to take professional training in singing to hone my vocal skills," informs the actress.
But that's not all. Sonal recently expressed her interest in getting into active politics. She says, "India needs the involvement of youngsters to serve the country. I will be happy to get into politics and contest the elections, but which party will give me a ticket?"
sashidhar.adivi@timesgroup.com
Sonal Chauhan
Sonal Chauhan
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