Soha Ali Khan on career moves

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Posted: 19 years ago

Interview : Soha Ali Khan on career moves

Soha Ali Khan is a dedicated actress. She proves it with the hard work she puts in for the roles she does. Hailing from a lineage of film stars, naming her mother Sharmila Tagore and brother Saif Ali Khan, she is the youngest from the family and ventured into films two years ago. Though she hasn't been able to make her mark in the top yet, yet she has proved her mettle as an actor with diverse films like 'Shaadi No. 1', 'Antarmahal' and 'Rang De Basanti'. Here's a chat with her reeling about her films, career and more.

Excerpts from an interview:

Your family wasn't very supportive with your decision to join films.

I wanted to act but I also knew the rules of the industry as my mother and brother had been a part of it and so there was some unease regarding it. I took different career perspective into consideration and wanted to do something on my own and hence became a banker. When I joined films there was some amount of pressure on me from the press and my family. I quit my job, took the independent decision to join films, signed my first film and informed my family later about it. It was not a nice thing to do knowing that my parents won't be very happy to hear about it. That was irresponsibility on my part.

You're highly educated. Did this work against you in the industry?

I don't feel that education and films are relatively connected. People ask me 'Why did you study if you wanted to be an actress, that means you never wanted to be an actress?' But a person can be an actress in spite of her educational background. Since my initial days I liked acting, but I diverted from it as I grew up. I did theatre in school and university but was never in touch with film industry. In that regard I was never influenced to join films and went to London for four years to study. Only after I started working in Mumbai I got inclined to join films.

Now that you're here, how do you feel being compared to your mother, Sharmila Tagore?

Whenever there is a comparison I feel that it is a huge compliment to me. I do look like her from certain angle. However I'm more like my father.

You've been appreciated more in serious roles like 'Antar Mahal' and 'Rang De Basanti' than light hearted films like 'Dil Maange More' and 'Shaadi No 1'. Do you think that you're better as a serious actress?

I don't think that there is much difference in acting in serious or commercial films. So I cannot categorize myself as an art actress or commercial actress. My strive is to work hard and be known as an intelligent actress, in the sense that I want to do intelligent film. But such films can also be made in a glamorous and entertaining way.

You belong to a royal family. How is your attitude towards the film industry?

Though I belong to one such family, people here find me friendly and comfortable. I am aware of my lineage, values and ancestry but I think that I have got a normal upbringing. My parents have passed on values that I respect and imbibe in my own life. My life is like any other people here and it's not very easy and well planned. That's the reason I went for qualifications and work experience so that I can stand on my own feet. I shaped my career like any other person, appearing for exams, making my CV, applying for jobs. I didn't have a great launch into films and neither was the stage set for me.

Why aren't you a common face in the social circuits?

There is nothing like I avoid such social meets. I go to my film functions and premieres. Actually I'm not very much a society person but I make sure that I'm at the right place at the right time. In this industry it's necessary to build up relationships. But I just can't bring myself to networking and socializing. If someone wants to work with me I would prefer making an impression through my work then meeting over a party or drink.