There is a huge hunger in Rakhi Sawant: V

By Subhash K Jha

When Rakhi Sawant invited Vidya Balan on her new talk-show Vidya said yes without a moment's hesitation. That Aamir Khan also turned up to be part of Rakhi's show was a bonus Vidya hadn't anticipated.

"Rakhi recorded with me and Aamir on Tuesday. I finished my episode with her and then Aamir came in. I think he will be her guest on her first episode.And I'm on her second episode."

This is as close as Vidya has got to Aamir so far. She feels it's an omen that they'll sign a film together. And she has only Rakhi to thank for it.

Doing a chat show with Rakhi was something Vidya hadn't even thought of. "But when she invited me I didn't hesitate for a moment. I really really like Rakhi for the way she has made a place for herself. No one else is quite like her. She has marketed herself as an extremely unique entity. I think it's truly admirable."

Vidya says she was surprised by the sober intelligent questions asked by her hostess. "Rakhi conducted the interview straight and simple. There was none of the flamboyance associated with her. And that really surprised me."

The two of them had a heart-to-heart, and yes, Vidya and Rakhi are the unlikeliest of friends now.

At this point of time Vidya wouldn't mind doing something a little wild, something a little Rakhi Sawant.

"I believe when you want something you get it. When I joined films Aziz Uncle (Aziz Mira) wasn't making films after his wife's demise.

I so badly wanted to work with himI love his workingclass romances and I believe in his kind of cinema. Two years later he called me. In Kismat Konnection I got a chance to get on the dancefloor and shake a leg, something I thought I had left behind in college. But always wanted to do again.

Somehow I always end up realizing my secret wishes. I remember years ago when I was happy doing my ads and not even dreamt of being an actress I saw Pradeep Sarkar's music video with Shubha Mudgal.

I desperately wanted to be in his music videos. The next thing I know I was offered Dada (Sarkar)'s video for Euphoria's Aana meri gali.

Dada then promised he'd cast me whenever he made a feature film. He kept his word. And in fact fought tooth and nail to have me in Parineeta although I wasn't a big name."

Vidya feels a strange kismet connection with Rakhi. "There's a hunger in her to excel to prove the naysayers wrong. I quite empathize with that."

Don't ever challenge Vidya into doing anything. Chances are she would turn around and do exactly what you think she can't.

"I got Kismat Konnection although Shahid Kapoor had already been signed and I was at that time working with a more senior generation of co-stars like Sanjay Dutt and Akshay Kumar. But I wanted to be part of whatever Aziz Uncle made and here I am.

Likewise I always wanted to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He always presents his women so beautifully. Today I'm doing his production. Tomorrow I'll be directed by Mr Bhansali. That I'm sure of."

That's another common factor between Rakhi and Vidya. They both want to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

"Really?" smiles Vidya. " In that case that's a common factor I share with all the actresses in our industry."