'It's natural to want to become an actres

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Posted: 17 years ago
#1
'It's natural to want to become an actress after living in Mumbai'
Mumbai based Freida Pinto is one of the few Indian models to start her film career with a Hollywood film.

The find of well-known Hollywood director Danny Boyle (of Trainspotting and The Beach fame), Freida will be seen in Boyle's new film, Slumdog Millionaire, which also stars Irrfan Khan, Anil Kapoor and Mahesh Manjrekar.

Freida chats with Nithya Ramani about her big break.

When did you realise that acting is what you wanted to do?

I think it's natural to want to become an actress after living in the city of stars and watching films all your life. After graduating from St Xavier's College, Mumbai, I modelled for two years.

After six months of giving auditions for films, I got a call to audition for Slumdog Millionaire. I thought this would be just another audition. But to my surprise, I was short-listed and finally selected.

What is the story about?

It is about a boy, who wants to find his lost love interest through Kaun Banega Crorepati, of which the girl is a fan.

How did your parents react to this?

My parents always knew I wanted to become an actress, so they always supported me. My sister is from the media, so she supported me too.

'Comedy is difficult'

How was the experience working with the rest of the cast?

It was very encouraging. Dev Patel and I are new; this is our first film. So we supported and encouraged each other.

With Slumdog Millionaire, I have reached a different level of professionalism. And since I am starting my career with a Hollywood film, it has given me great exposure. It has been a fantastic experience.

Where has the film been shot?

All my scenes have been shot in Mumbai. Apart from this, the film has been shot in Delhi and Agra.

Any expectations from the film?

I hope everybody likes the film when it releases at the end of this year. A lot of effort has gone into it.

What kind of films would you like to do?

I like to try new things all the time. I like to do something different just for the experience. I have learnt different forms of dance like Indian classical and Salsa.

I am open to any kind of acting. Comedy is difficult and so I am working on that. This is why I am doing a workshop with [theatre guru] Barry John so that I sharpen my acting skills.

'The camera never gave me cold feet'

How has the experience been with Danny Boyle?

Danny is a very encouraging man. He lets you do what you want. He has no rules for a particular scene. He lets you emote the way you want. He would tell us where we would go wrong and motivate us to do better.

How was your experience facing the camera for the first time?

The camera never gave me cold feet. I have always felt comfortable in front of it. When I gave my first shot for the film, I was a little scared. But then I gained confidence.

Any memorable instances during the shoot?

The whole film was a memorable experience. There was one instance when Dev, Mahesh [Manjrekar] and I were supposed to make a sandwich and Mahesh will crack some joke and we all start laughing. He will become serious immediately and give his shot right but Dev and I would just not stop laughing.

Another instance was when we were shooting at CST [Chatrapathi Shivaji Railway Terminus] station. I had to run, shouting for help. Every time we had a break or a cut, people in the station would imitate us and scream for help.

Who are your favourite stars?

I liked Charlize Theron in Monster. I also like Irrfan Khan, Rajat Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Jack Nicholson, Anthony Hopkins, Marlyn Monroe, Nicole Kidman, Shabana Azmi, Kevin Beacon, Johnny Depp, Smita Patil...

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FallenAngelx16 thumbnail
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Posted: 17 years ago
#2
She looks alittle bit like Bopasha Basu....
Shivanee31 thumbnail
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Posted: 17 years ago
#3

Originally posted by: FallenAngelx16

She looks alittle bit like Bopasha Basu....


You mean Bipasha Basu!😊
No I don't think its her!But I'm very curious to know her identity!😉
293418 thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#4
She is ridiculously lucky that she is starting out with this film. I don't know if this film will help her in Bollywood though but definitely it is an opening to getting in films. Trainspotting is a great film though. Her favorite actor and actress list is strikingly similar to mine though.

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