I want Pooja to apologize to me: Celina J

By Subhash K Jha

Celina Jaitley has been more in the news lately than she would like to be. Having got into situations where she felt she needed to take retaliatory action the pretty actress says she's ready to withdraw her legal suite against Pooja Bedi provided she apologizes publicly.

Your run-ins with various people and organizations are creating a lot of news.
It's not as if I'm enjoying it, or that I've invited all these controversies. But there're certain situations in life when one needs to take a stand.

Take the Endemol case. I've nothing against the organization. It's one of their employees who was constantly calling and messaging me even after I told him I wasn't interested in doing their reality show Fear Factor. Yet they went ahead publicizing my name as part of the show.

The next day they made me out to be this tantrum-thrower who demanded an entourage for the trip to South Africa. When the discussions had never reached the stage of a contract never gone beyond early negotiations where was the question of demanding an entourage?

Are you saying they were lying?
Of course! I didn't even know where the show was going to be held. It was wrong. This particular employee constantly hounded me.

How did you decide this employee was crossing the line of protocol?
I didn't react at his constant calls or the champagne bottle which has created so much news. I've received champage on the eve of my release. I understand the protocol for such things. But the agenda behind it was not to get me on the show but to become my manager.

My lawyers put all this in my legal notice because I believe the Endemol employee was not contacting me for his company. He was doing it for his personal interest even after sweetly my telling him that I've a very efficient manager.

Did you tell him that?
Yes. I didn't mind all this unwanted attention But when my name was used as one of the contestants for the publicity for Fear Factor I blew up.

I totally understand protocol. Then I see Pooja Bedi jumping into the whole thing. I don't know her except when we met for her chat show. I can't see why she spoke about me like that.

Pooja thought you might be delusional.
Why should she decide my behaviour? Is she she a qualified psychologist? I understand what it is to live in a democratic country. It doesn't mean you call someone mentally ill or delusional without proof.

Yes, things have happened to me over the last four years. All kinds of calamities can strike an individual. Some people are more prone to crisis than others.

I happen to be one of those unfortunate people with whom untoward incidents have taken place. That doesn't mean I'm delusional. Would Pooja like me me to prove that those things have really happened to me?

Cops caught that German guy who misbehaved with me at a hotel in Mumbai. His visa was cancelled. Did I imagine all that?

You've now a sent a legal notice to Pooja Bedi?
Yes. I thought of letting it go. My lawyers thought it was a good idea to send her the notice. Once she called me delusional everyone in the media started picking on that.

Believe me I've nothing against Pooja personally. I'm shocked why she should give defamatory quotes about me when she doesn't know the background to the whole thing.

I didn't want to be a mere contestant on a reality show. I've my Hollywood agent to be answerable to. So when my name was mentioned in Fear Factor I reacted.

Would you be willing to compromise with Pooja?
If she apologizes to me in all the leading newspapers I wouldn't want to take this further. But calling someone delusional is not a small matter.

She has also compared her stand on me to her defence of the people of Bihar and UP and their plight in Maharashtra. Sorry I didn't get the connection.

I've nothing against Pooja. So I don't know why she decided to talk like this. People are wondering why she has spoken like this.

Maybe Pooja feels you over-reacted?
Does she know I've messages and recorded conversations of the man from Endemol?

Believe me I've worked hard for whatever little I am today. Nobody has ever promoted me. I can't allow my name to be sullied.

Jealous actresses are doing their best to malign me.

When I bought a house on prime property in Mumbai they bitched wondering whom I slept with to afford my house. People who come up the hard way know the value of their reputation. I've kept quiet.

But now when someone slanders me by calling me mentally ill I've to get up and assert myself. It isn't as if I've gone on a suing spree. I don't want Pooja's money. But a printed apology is a must.