OH NO!!!

Mona Singh is going to shed her image of a popular nerd in a TV serial and make a foray into films. And guess who's netted this bird? Bobby Pushkarna, the producer of Page 3! He has officially signed her on for his next production, called Main Toh Chala.However, the lead opposite her in this romantic film has not yet been finalised.

So what does Mona have to say about her film debut? "I never had Bollywood aspirations, but I was open to the idea of good offers. And anyway, Bollywood is the next step for any small screen actor," she opines.

Chuffed at the prospect of working on the silver screen, Mona (incidentally, a Pune resident), continues, "Film offers started pouring in after a couple of my 'make-over' pictures got leaked out. I was in Mauritius when I got my first film offer. Offers have been coming my way, but none of them were as challenging as playing Jassi. That used to be the case, until I met Bobby."

She believes that her first experience as a film actor was challenging. "The film is a black comedy. I play an average, ambitious, working girl who goes through a lot to understand the intricacies of life. The common people will identify with it," she adds.

Mona did always harbour a desire to be famous, but never 'worked' towards it. She believes in the power of thinking big, or as she puts it, "One must not stop dreaming, things happen only if you dream. I always dreamt of signing autographs. In fact, a long time ago, before I became a household name, I'd come down to Mumbai for a function where Amitabh Bachchan was the chief guest. I was standing next to him, and was soon pushed aside by a throng of people who rushed towards him. At that point, I visualised that some day I too will be mobbed like this. That was in January 2003. Within two months, I lived out my dream when Jassi became a hit. I was mobbed at the same place. That's called destiny!"

At this point, one can't help but wonder: is it the end of the road for Jassi? "Not for another year. I've signed a new contract with them wherein I work with them only for 20 days, and I can devote the rest of the time to my films," concludes Mona.

JOTS 😕