Her day has drawn to an end. People are thronging for her time. Her face scrubbed clean of make-up shows signs of fatigue but the smile remains fixed as if it is a permanent fixture. Reclining in the comfort of her car she lets the faade fall. I almost feel guilty that I have a questionnaire to grill her through.
We have been close for the longest time now but her frequent absentia has given us little opportunity to catch up. Even tonight she is headed to Delhi as she has her break and Saif is shooting there. Much against reasoning she has decided to travel without paraphernalia. But Bebo's impulsiveness is as famous as her size zero.
Today her dad is waiting for her at home. "He has a valid complaint; he hasn't seen me for over four months. I am always either traveling or making appearance for my endorsements. I feel so guilty," she says. As we enter her compound, sister Lolo is waiting to also be part of the family gathering.
The two sisters compare parlour visits and hair colour seems to be the topic of the reunion. While the two don't seem to be two superstarnis, they seem more like two young ladies exchanging make-up tips; it makes me feel like an outsider in a tightly private environment.
So I leave them alone only to rewind my mind and the spools of tape around what we just shared. "I have no time for any scandals. I have become a year older and a bit more overworked, so please don't attack me," she says waving the peace sign, her bright red freshly manicured nails gesticulating the needful.
'Golmaal Returns' your last release was an out and out comedy. Are you consciously making comedy your genre after 'Jab We Met'? Are we going to see you play the funny girl more often?
'Golmaal Returns' was a commercial potboiler, a money churner. Everyone was acting quite mad. It is not some performance oriented comedy. We weren't trying to make an Oscar winner. I had not gone out of my way to show my skill as an actress.
Karisma seems to be well on her way to make a comeback. Commercials of everything from biscuits to jewellery and then there is the judging of a dance reality show. Is a film comeback the next move on her part?
I don't think she really wants to do any films but if she gets something good she will do it. She was offered 20-25 days for the show, so she thought she would like to do it. Then again she loves dance. As far as commercials are concerned, I think she is really swimming in offers and she thinks that they require less of her time commitment so she picks a few to do. And why not, she is looking smashing right now. With her figure and face she can give any of the actresses a run for their money.
Money brings me to current remunerations. Apparently the current breed of you guys who are on top are asking for the king's ransom in lieu of signing on the dotted line. Do you think these exaggerated prices are justified?
I don't think these prices are unreal. And anyway the market and hearsay are always buzzing with rubbish exaggerated amounts, which are far more inflated than the actual figures. I can however speak for myself and the fact of the matter is that I get what
I deserve. When the producer signs me, they know they are going to get 100 per cent professionalism, my clean dates and besides, which I'm selling my talent which they have to pay for.
In spite of this busy schedule you did go to London for the outdoor of Saif's first home production where rumour has it that you played the perfect hostess. Was it very difficult since you could have easily been heroine of the film? Was it easy to keep your emotions under check?
For starters I wasn't playing hostess or anything of the sort. In fact I was busy shopping, which was the purpose of my trip. Then I would just be hanging around waiting for Saif to pack up so I would get to spend time with him. I was stopping on my way to Los Angles as I was going there on a month and a half long outdoor.
Let me clear it once and for all. I don't want to be part of any film I am not wanted in. I am very clear about that. It's fine by me because Imtiaz Ali and I are working again in another film for Ashtavinayak with Akshay Kumar in the lead, so that is enough.
I don't expect every director to cast me in every film and Imtiaz knows my potential. I am sure he will consider me when the role is as good as that of Geet in 'Jab We Met'.
We have also heard a lot about Saif not getting along with Deepika. Was your presence at the London outdoor responsible for that?
I have never been on the shoot. I have never seen Saif and Deepika together and I don't think Saif is the kind of guy to not get along with anybody. Saif always praises her and says she is a very sweet girl. But then again Saif is not the type to be talking to his heroines much on the set.
But he did take time out talking to you...
The fact of the matter is that he did not chat me up and that is why I was annoyed with him for ever so long. Saif is too classy to come on so strong. He is on his own trip. Besides he has a very tough role in Imtiaz's film and he is very busy focusing on that and busy shooting day and night. Whatever might have been the case, Saif was very happy with the effort Deepika was putting into getting into the skin of the character she is playing in the film.
Being in a relationship with an actor can be a very harrowing life. After all insecurities about where and with whom might he be can plague your mind with dark doubts.
My only logic is that his mind must also be ticking away thinking that what must I be doing right now. Because I am busier than Saif. Saif does only one film at a time while I am doing many more films, endorsements and running from one place to another.
Touchwood, Saif and I have a very secure relationship and I think Saif has made me very secure because look at the effort he has made, everyone sees that. He is a superstar himself and yet he goes out of his way to make me feel comfortable. I was shooting in LA, he was in the UK; then when I went to Venice for 'Kambakht Ishq', he was in Mandawa in Rajasthan.
But he does make these surprise visits to your shooting and then plans something romantic. That must be totally sweeping you off your feet.
Yes, he always makes that effort for me. Like I said, he is working on one film while I am working on five films at a time.
And what have you done to make him feel special?
Whenever I'm not shooting, I spend every waking moment with him. I give him a lot of love and support and I consciously make it a point not to come in the middle of his work zone. And that is very important for an actor. Basically he is doing his own thing and I am doing my own thing.
He does come with the baggage of a family. His kids are very much a part of his life. Does it ever make you feel much older than you really are?
Not at all. I think Saif's kids are wonderful and if you really love someone, you don't look at their kids as baggage. He gives me everything I want; he makes me feel secure. What more do I need? The kids are growing up and they are more like friends for me; they will never be baggage. I don't look at it that way and I never will.
So how far away is commitment?
If you are speaking of marriage, then it is a couple of years away. There is no time right now but definitely there is a commitment, given the kind of girl I am. When I am in a relationship I feel it is for keeps. I think with Saif and me, I feel very happy and
secure and I could not ask for a better life partner. He is giving me space to work and I don't think any woman can ask for more.
Does it anger you that he was and continues to be close to your enemy no.1 Bipasha Basu?
In fact, now I have no problem with Bipasha. I called her up and invited her for Saif's birthday. I think it was gracious of her to come and even I left all my issues aside and called her with a clean heart. I think it was a very classy move from both our sides. Personally I think Saif and Bipasha looked great together in 'Race'. He is welcome to work with whichever actress he wants. I am secure for the kind of love he showers me with; it could make any girl envious. He has been very public in displaying his emotions.
Do you like it this way?
I love it this way. He does it out of genuine love; there is no point to prove to anyone. For me, I don't think I can love any other man the way I love Saif. Any woman would be a fool not to be in love with a man like Saif.
Except for an animation film ' Roadside Romeo' where you are only lending your voice and Karan Johar's film directed by Renzil D'silva's you haven't really been in too many films with Saif. Is it a conscious decision?
Both Saif and me have decided that we won't be doing films just for the heck of
it. I also did Karan Johar's film because I loved my role. I would have done it even if
someone else was the hero. Besides, the kind of films we both want to do are categorically different. People talk about 'Tashan' but I wasn't paired opposite Saif in that film in the first place. Renzil's film is a good subject, we both have pivotal roles and the film is based on terrorism.
Do you think it is a curse that you are not able to get commercial success when you are in a relationship with the heroes? Even 'Jab We Met' was a success after Shaahid and you split.
'Jab We Met' was made when I was in a relationship with Shaahid. I don't think off screen chemistry decides what happens on screen. I think everything majorly depends on the script and the inter personal equation between the characters. So I don't agree with you when you say there is a curse.
Going back to Shaahid, today when you see him oscillating between Sania and Vidya, do you call him up and advice him about his love life? After all you might have stopped
being lovers but are friends.
Not really. Because Shaahid is very sensible, mature and knows exactly what he wants, besides he is very headstrong. He has always been like that and will continue to be so. We are friends but I am not at liberty to call him up and advice him because he will always do what he wants.
Who do you think suits him more, Sania or Vidya?
I don't know. That is a tough call because I don't know either Sania or Vidya personally but I am confident Shaahid will make a sensible choice. Whichever one of them he thinks is right.
Ranbir has become a big heartthrob. I recently read that you were quoted saying that you did not mind doing a film with him, how weird would that be!
We can be in the same film not necessarily opposite each other. It can be the story of a brother and a sister.
What do you think of him as an actor? Does he have what it takes to carry on the Kapoor legacy?
I think so. He has a great flair of acting. He is extremely good looking, over all, the best package in the business in the new brigade.
So would your vote go for Imran or Ranbir?
You can't put both of them in the same category. I can't comment on Imran because I haven't seen 'Jaane Tu…'. You can kill me for that but like I said I have been on a roll; there is just no time for anything. Nowadays I'm barely in India. Earlier only films were shot abroad; today even endorsements are shot abroad. I did a recent campaign in Bangkok and from there I had to fly to Paris and Milan.
This whole patch up with Karan Johar ended up with a gain of only one film with Saif and Viveik.
It does not seem to have the desired results since nothing came up with SRK.
The patch-up wasn't done to gain films. My friendship with Karan is not because he is this hot shot director. He is my friend I speak to at 3 and 4 a.m. The brother I've never had. I have no interest in who he is making his film with, he can take whichever actress he wants to work with.
The recent rumour doing the rounds is that Abhishek and Aishwarya invited you for a party in their suite and you snubbed them by not going. After all, if someone is extending an olive branch, why not take it and build the bridge?
Nobody invited me for any party. I was invited for the 'Drona' premiere but it was by Priyanka and I was in Italy, so I did not go. Abhishek and Ash must have invited me for whatever reason but my not going has its own reason. If someone does not want to work with me, I too don't want to work with them. Bridges are built from both sides, darling.
But there are some people you are partial to, take Akshay Kumar for instance. Why so many films with the Khiladi in the past and present?
I love Akshay. I think Akshay and me professionally work the best. Akshay has always supported me. He has done films with me when I wasn't exactly happening but Akshay has always been there for me and Karisma. I genuinely am very emotionally attached to Akshay.
Besides we have great scripts on the projects we are working. If I don't have a film with Akshay, I always tell my secretary, 'what's happening yaar why no film with Akshay?' and I think the best film of my career after 'Jab We Met' is 'Kambhakt Ishq'. It is a very exciting role and I'm happy it is with Akshay.
*BY SONALI JAFFAR
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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