Posted:
| Publication:Times Of India Mumbai; | Date:Apr 29, 2007; | Section:Bombay Times; | Page Number:37 |
'I'm zapped, ecstatic !' Amrita Rao cannot get over her being selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award ROSHNI K OLIVERA Times News Network
A few days ago when Amrita Rao returned home, after a long day's shoot, she didn't expect the envelope on the table to bring in such a huge surprise. It was a letter informing her that she was chosen to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award.
"I was zapped when I read it," says Amrita. "It slowly stared sinking in. I was ecstatic. Gradually I got to know that senior artistes like Jeetendra, Aroona Irani, and Shashikala were receiving the award this year. And... the living legend Dilip Kumar! It's such an honour for me," says an excited Amrita.
But considering it's usually veterans in the field who've been getting the award, Amrita's name has come as a surprise to many.
"They want to recognise few people in the industry for their contribution for the year," she explains.
Amrita stepped into the industry around four years ago making her debut in Ab Ke Baras. She's had ten releases so far, Vivaah being the tenth one. But, despite quite a few hits isn't the top slot still eluding her? "While climbing the success ladder there is no end to reaching higher," says an unfazed Amrita adding, "But, I would always like to believe that I'm on No. 4. At least I'll have the goal and will strive to reach the third, second and finally the ultimate No. 1 position. Slow and steady, I will win the race," smiles the actress, who currently has in her kitty Anil Kapoor's production Short Cut with Akshaye Khanna and Arshad Warsi and David Dhawan's Hook Ya Crook with Siddharth, a Telugu film with South top star Mahesh Babu among others. Ask her about her onscreen good-girl image and Amrita begs to differ. "I have done all kinds of characters. In Vivaah I'm a sensitive girl, in Ishq-Vishq I was the good girl while in
Main Hoon Naa I played the rebellious and rather boisterous Sanjana," she points out. As a little girl, she always wanted to be an actress. She admits,
"I never told anyone about it though. I can't believe my dream actually came true." She adds, "I love what I do. And I think we artistes have got this wonderful opportunity... One day we will not be here, but we will still be here for many generations to come where people will watch us. I feel very proud to be part of this industry," says Amrita, who's been shooting in Hyderabad last many days. However, the actress plans to be in Mumbai tomorrow for the award ceremony.
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