I don't work for fame and money: Sushant Singh Rajput!

Mumbai: 'Kai Po Che' star Sushant Singh Rajput says his love and passion for cinema are his driving force to do something new onscreen.

"I don't work for fame and money. I work for the love and passion of cinema. For me, it does not matter if I am acting in films or TV or doing theatre. The day I stop getting interesting work in films, I would go back to doing TV," Sushant told reporters here at a promotional event of his upcoming film 'Shudh Desi Romance'.

The actor became a household name with TV serial 'Pavitra Rishta'.In his upcoming romantic-comedy film 'Shuddh Desi Romance', Sushant is seen locking lips with newcomer Vaani Kapoor.

Sushant Singh Rajput says his love and passion for cinema are his driving force to do something new onscreen.

There were reports that things went wrong between him and his girlfriend Ankita Lokhande after the scene. But Sushant denies them, saying, "There were no issues about it (kissing). She (Ankita) is quite supportive, she knows its part of my job, she is an actor too," Sushant said.

The event saw the launch of a new song 'Gulabi' from the film. Also, newcomer Vaani was introduced to the media. Going by the theme of the song, the two actors were dressed in pink and the set was decorated with pink color frills.

Going by the title of the film 'Shuddh Desi Romance', Sushant said it was a different kind of a love story set in rural India.

"There are lot of love stories being made mostly outside India. Our film is different, presenting the issues, problems between love and commitment in a desi way," Sushant said. Directed by Maneesh Sharma and also starring Parineeti Chopra, the film is slated to be released on September 6.

Sushant also revealed that his girlfriend and television star Ankita was considered for the upcoming romantic comedy 'Happy New Year' starring Shahrukh Khan.

"I know she was considered for this film. It's a big film and it feels good that she was considered. It's a big thing," Sushant said.

Ankita became popular after playing the role of Archana Manav Deshmukh in Ekta Kapoor's 'Pavitra Rishta'.

Alia Bhatt admits: Varun is a very dear friend of mine!

Saturday, July 27, 2013 09:31 IST

By Santa Banta News

Alia Bhatt may be one-film-old. Nevertheless, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's daughter has made her mark in Bollywood with her smart acting and intelligent choice of films. Sreya Basu chats up with the young actress who is betting big on Highway and 2 States

Student Of The Year (SOTY) was released in October 2012. When will we see you on the big screen again? 
You have to wait for some more time. My next release will be Highway. I have completed it. The film will hit the theatres on December 13.

Tell us something about the film. 
Well, I can't reveal much about the film right now, as it's too early. But it is a very special film for me because I got the opportunity to work with Imtiaz Ali (filmmaker). The journey of shooting the film is the only `journey` in my life that I have undertaken so far.

I have always remained restricted between home and school; and then between home and (film) sets. That's how my life had been since the last 20 years.

But for Highway we travelled from Delhi to Punjab to Rajasthan, Himachal and Kashmir. It was like a road trip. I got to feel what a journey is all about.


What about 2 States? 
I am still shooting for 2 States. It will release April 18 next year. As you know it is based on Chetan Bhagat's novel ... it is a beautiful story. I am having a lot of fun shooting for it. Playing a Tambram (Tamil Brahmin) is quite a challenge and I am loving it.

Do you have a list in your head on the kind of films you want to do? 
I don't as such have a list of what I want to do. But I have an idea of the different kinds of films that I want to do. I want to do a lot of films and they should be different from one another ... films that will challenge me and at the same time cater to the needs of the audience.


You seem to be more comfortable with western outfit. Have you ever tried a saree off screen? 
I am cool about wearing sarees. I think sarees look very good not just on Indian women but all women in general. But then, I am young now, so I should be wearing more fun stuff. Sarees will definitely come to my wardrobe in future.

What is the one habit you can't let go?
I keep posing in front of the mirror all the time.


Are you a make-up person? 
Not at all. But I like wearing kajal as it enhances my eyes. I love prominent eyes. Otherwise, the more normal you are the better. I don't think guys like girls who are too made up. They like someone with whom they can have a conversation.

You are being linked up with your SOTY co-star Varun Dhawan. How will you react to it? 
Varun is a very dear friend of mine. He is my first co-star and is always supportive of me.


When are you going to work in your father's (Mahesh Bhatt's) film? 
My father, unfortunately, won't be directing the film for me. But hopefully there will be a project for me in Vishesh Films (film production company owned by Mahesh Bhatt and his brother Mukesh Bhatt) very soon. If that happens, I would love to work on that project.

I’ve a man’s ego in a lot of ways: Sonam Kapoor

Although she comes from a film family, Sonam Kapoor is determined to make her own identity without any help from her actor-filmmaker father Anil Kapoor as she feels that scope for growth under a banyan tree is bleak.

“I feel there’s very little that can grow under a banyan tree. So, I have tried to create my own path and I have very successfully done it —whether it’s through my fashion or movies I choose,” said the 28-year-old in a group interview.

In her six years in the industry, with 11 films and hits like “‘Raanjhanaa’ to her credit, Sonam has avoided taking a piggy-back ride on her dad’s strong shoulders.

“Very thoughtfully I tried not to do much with my father. It’s a very selfish decision, as I just wanted my own identity. So even when ‘Aisha’ was produced, my sister (Rhea) produced it. It was her first film. I never asked my father to do this for me. I think I have a man’s ego in a lot of ways,” she said.

“And also, I don’t want to take away his hard work. If I don’t do well and he has put in his money or name on me, then 40 years of his hard work goes down the drain because his daughter is a disappointment. So, I would rather fall down on my own and I don’t want to take my dad with me,” she added.

From her 2006 debut film ‘Saawariya’ to subsequent releases ‘Delhi-6′, ‘Players’ and ‘Mausam’ — all were box office disappointments. She says she was too young to understand a few things in the past.

“I realised that because of my glamorous image and being a fashion icon, I don’t need to do films to add star value to myself. I was too young to understand that back then, but I am old enough and now understand that because of my image I can get away with doing more real films. But that doesn’t mean I am only doing ‘Raanjhanaa’ or ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’, in which I am playing a quintessential rooted Indian girl.”
She was seen as a high society fashionista in ‘Aisha’ and as an uptown girl in ‘I Hate Luv Storys’, which didn’t garner enough success at the box office. Once again she will be seen as a modern girl in Yash Raj Films’ project.
“There is this film with Yash Raj, in which I am playing a modern girl from Gurgaon. She is a banker. So, I really want to pick characters like young girls, cool, not-so-cool girls — as long as they are real girls,” she added. —IANS

I stopped taking life for granted after my son’s death: Prakash Raj!

Prakash Raj, 47, is a man who loves life and will never be partial. He is an actor, director, producer, distributor and manages working in five languages (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi) without even having a manager to look after his work. He is hard-working and has always got from people unconditionally, basis his merit. He is a selfish man who gives to his family as he gets joy out of it. He respects himself even more than the world respects him and for him, a big film is as important as a small one. He has come to become one of Bollywood's most-wanted villains. Ahead of his upcoming films Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Zanjeer, he speaks to TOI about his moron father, his son Sidhu who he can never forget and why director K Balachander will always remain special in his life. Excerpts:

Why did you change your name from Prakash Rai to Prakash Raj?
Director K Balachander changed it. Apart from launching Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, he was also responsible for launching me. He had changed Rajinikanth's name and felt that at a time when the Cauvery dispute was hot between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the surname Rai represented just a local community and a state, but he saw a national actor in me and wanted my name to represent that.

How did you come into films?
I am the son of a nurse from Bangalore. I went to St Joseph's, but was not made for studies. I did my first play in Class VII and realised that I got a high from the claps of the audience. In college, I was more interested in arranging strikes and forming gangs. Once, during second year of college, one of my professors said, 'You are wasting your time in college.' Something hit me and I just walked out of the college for five kms and walked straight into Kalakshetra. For the next six months, I did not tell anyone at home that I was actually not going to college, but was doing theatre rehearsals. I started taking acting seriously. I then did TV and got small roles in Kannada films. Things were not happening till one fine day, Geetha, a senior Tamil actress, who was working with me in a Kannada film, spoke to Balachander about me. I met him in Chennai and he liked the fire in me. While he did not give me a role immediately, he cast me in his film Duet, a year-and-a-half later. I was then cast by Mani Ratnam, as he had faith in Balachander having launched me. After that, there was no looking back. Down South, I am loved in my negative roles, positive roles and old roles and I have done so many roles as a father that they say that after Mahatma Gandhi, I am the father of the nation. Bollywood started with Wanted and Singham, as I had done the South films from which they were adapted.

Let's talk about your mother?
She is my queen and is with me wherever I go. She is an innocent soul who was brought up in an orphanage as her mother died when she was 12 and her father was unable to take care of her. She became a nurse, which was when she met and fell in love with my father, who had been admitted as a patient.

They got married, but he did not want to work and wanted to only drink all the time. He was a vagabond, who would stay three months in the house, collect some money and leave and not be available for the next six months. She brought us up and is a strong Roman Catholic. She did not want to leave him and thus brought up all four of us together, my father and her three children. I like the way she fought life, got all her sisters married, gave us as much education as she could afford to and always helps people in need.

She is extremely grounded, happy that her son is being talked about and is worried only about what I am eating and whether I am getting enough sleep. She finds it difficult to even spend 500 as she feels how can she spend money that her son has earned and does not know how much money I make. She always asks me, 'What have I done in my life that you look after me so well?' I keep her like a child and would never do anything which would make me fall in her eyes. I envy her for her strength, don't know from where she gets her integrity, how she can be so simple and live only for others. I can never question her or talk back to her. I have never fought with her. As the elder son, I have seen her struggling, sitting in an auto going around Bangalore looking for my father, drunk in some wine shop. I would use people to carry my father back and would question her as to why she would not leave him. But for her, children without a father was not acceptable and she has this great quality of giving and wants to always forgive. He died 20 years back and she always says, 'Poor guy, he did not know how to live.' She saved and got him two autos to run, but he had sold that too. But surprisingly, she told me that my father told her before he died, 'Your sons will look after you. They will not let you down. They will hate me
forever, but will love you always.' I don't hate him, but I just wish she had a better man.

I have this habit of having my breakfast and dinner with her and just the two of us go out for dinner, where we talk. She is someone I can just go to and hug and cry. I am her security and never ask her whatever money she needs and who she wants to help as she is a giver. She is possessive about me and feels I cannot ever be wrong. My problem is I live with only women — be it my mother, wife, daughters, cook and nurse — who are all drama queens, ranging from the age of 8 to 75, all wanting a slice of me. But it's mind-blowing to have these women in my life.

You divorced your first wife Lata and have re-married choreographer Pony Verma, who is 12 years younger to you. How did Pony and you get married?
My first wife Lata (who was also a Tamil actress) and I had differences. We had three children — two daughters and one son — but we lost our son when he was five. My younger daughter was born after that and we divorced three years back. I live life the way I am and I didn't want to lie so I sat my daughters down and explained to them why I wanted to divorce even though Lata did not want to let me go. My daughters are both with me and her. My office still runs her home and while I have divorced her, my mother, daughters and friends have not. During the period that we were separated and had applied for divorce, I met Pony who was choreographing for one of my films. I spoke to my mother and my daughters and said, this is what I want to do, but I wanted Pony to spend time with my daughters. I knew it was her first marriage, though I came with baggage. She also met Lata and my daughters, who said, 'Cool dad, please go ahead'. Then I went to meet her father and told them that I was divorced. They were shocked initially, but then blessed us. I was going to shoot in Australia for 15 days. She took her father and I took my mother to spend time together, post which we decided to get married.

How is Pony?
She has been such a breath of fresh air in the family. I love her energy. I got married to her at 45. Probably, I would have become a little serious in life. But she brought romance and music in my life. It's great to have a beautiful young woman next to you when you go out and can escape for a holiday. Suddenly, you feel younger and there is so much joy in my life. Otherwise, I would have been a senior actor and like some other senior actors would have turned into a tharki. Being alone, you need a woman in your life. And then you have a woman who is 12 years younger to you, who is mature, who hugs you, who makes you feel like going back home. I love the way she has become a friend to my elder daughter Pooja, who is now 17, the way they talk and have secrets.

Your father was a Hindu and your mother a Catholic, yet you chose to bury your son Sidhu in your farm. Why did you do that?
I can't forget him, even though I have removed all photographs of his. I am a non-believer and wanted to bury him in my farm. I just go, sit there many times. He is the one who made me realise how helpless I am and how unpredictable life is and how small it is and how weak you are in front of nature. I love my daughters, but just miss my child even though it's been nine years since he died. He was just five when, while flying a kite from a one-foot-high table, he fell on the ground. For a few months after that, he would have fits, after which he died. Nobody could understand what was the reason. His death was more than any other sorrow for me. I don't take life for granted anymore and live in the moment.

"I'm not going to justify my friendship with Dhanush" - Shruti Haasan

Sunshine girl Shruti Haasan talks about her comeback, her reported linkup with Dhanush and growing up as Kamal Haasan’s daughter. Filmfare lends her an ear

Q. What made you choose D-Day as your comeback vehicle?

When Nikhil (Advani) narrated the script to me, I asked him ‘Why do you want me to play this part?’. He had seen the emotional intensity I had brought to 3. After that he was convinced he wanted me for the role. This role didn’t require a howling kind of intensity. It’s the intensity of someone, who has seen a lot. In the beginning, it was tough playing the role since it has so many emotional layers. She is a young prostitute, who has seen so much in her life, yet she’s vulnerable enough to fall in love.

Q. What was the experience like working with Prabhudheva in Ramaiya Vastavaiya (RV)?

Ramaiya Vastavaiya was a challenging role. Because it’s so different from my sensibilities as an actor. Prabhudheva’s meter is different. To get into that meter took me a month. He is particular about what he wants from your body language. His idea of how a girl should be is different from my idea of how a girl should be. RV is not my genre of movie. It’s not the movie I would go and watch. But there are a number of permutations and combinations that lead you to sign a film. And you don’t get path-breaking characters everyday. I know RV will connect with the masses.

Q. Is it better this time around in Mumbai?

Yes. Because my state of mind is positive. When I first came here, I was this musician type who’d just stepped out of a boat from LA. I had a different mindset. Even the way Luck happened, was funny. I was looking for a place to stay here. And one day Imran (Khan) called me asking whether I’d do this film. I said yes. It was like someone was asking me out for a Friday night, that casual. So my debut wasn’t planned. I wasn’t all there while making the film. But when it didn’t do well, it hit me. I sat at home, I didn’t do a movie for a year. I asked myself did I really want to be in the movies? Because I’m not those kind of people, who start something and don’t finish it properly. The answer was yes. I’ve grown up now. I really want it to work for me this time around.

Q. When Luck flopped, did you think that was the end of road for you?

I was depressed. My best friend saw the movie at a preview and said, ‘Wow you’ve messed it up even before it began’. He asked me, ‘Do you really want to do this? Take your time and figure out if you like doing this. I said I love being in front of the camera.’ He said get your act together then. It was really that simple. I was fat when I came back from LA. I was a hamburger. I lost the extra kilos. I was suddenly a different person. I think acting gives me what music doesn’t. So they balance each other out.

Q. You’ve hit a purple patch in the South. The super hit Gabbar Singh has turned the tables for you there.

Yeah, it was completely unexpected. I love the director (Hari Shankar), he is such a sweet guy. We had great fun while shooting. I did emotional ulti in 3. But Gabbar Singh was fun and such a change from the serious stuff. Pawan Kalyan is a huge star and so much fun to work with. It feels good when people call you by your character’s name. It had that kind of reach.

Q. Weren’t you hesitant about signing Gabbar Singh?

Yes. Because it was a remake. And I had that pride that you guys (Hindi industry) remake our stuff. Now it was reverse. The role was bigger than it was in the Hindi version and the treatment was completely different. The director told me there’s not much for you to do in the film. But I will make another film for you. I’m doing my second film with him. It’s called Ramaiya Vastavaiya, not to be confused with the Hindi one. 

Q. So what was the moment that changed this diffident actress in Luck, to a consummate artiste in 3?

Ever since I’ve been singing on stage, I’ve been known to be intense. And I’ve been known to be unafraid of going to dark remote places within. But as an actor I don’t have that training. I was cocky when I was young. But I didn’t have that confidence in front of the camera, the confidence to manipulate your emotions. I had to break that wall. When I went to a music school, my teacher had made me cry in front of the whole class. After that I was never ashamed to bare myself as an artiste. But in acting I am still on that journey. When I sing it comes from an uninhibited place.  It’s like being besharam. I’m learning to be besharam in front of the camera. I’ll be honest, there is still a lot to let go.

Q. As Kamal Haasan’s daughter, you don’t have to struggle to make it.

But dad and mum (actor Sarika) have never pulled in favours for me. They were always like, whatever you do, do it yourself. That’s when the journey will make sense to you. Of course, they are by my side. But I have done it myself. The failures are mine and the success is completely mine. That feels good.

Q. So you’ve never been tempted to call your dad to get you a role you covet?

No. I made it clear at the beginning that I was on my own. So if anything happens to me on the sets, I’m not going to call my dad to help me. Some people respect my independence whereas some try to take advantage. Their attitude is no one will come to bail her out so let’s take advantage of the situation. But that happens to every girl. I don’t want the easy way out. When I went to LA, no one knew Kamal Haasan. So when I had to play there, I wouldn’t call dad and say tell that uncle in LA to help me out. That’s where I learnt to be on my own. That set the tone for me. People respect me for that. I like that look on their faces, which says she has done it herself, as opposed to the look that says yeah you’re good but I spoke to your mom or dad.

Q. What was it like growing up as Kamal Haasan’s daughter?

My friends knew him as Shruti’s daddy or as Kamal uncle. Even now, they’re like Shruti’s daddy’s movie has released. The school days were so simple. My mother insisted that we went by school bus and travelled by autos. We had a normal childhood. Actually, I grew up pretending to be someone else’s daughter. They would say, ‘You’re Kamal Haasan’s daughter’ and I would say, ‘No I’m Dr. Ramachandra’s daughter’. I used to be Pooja Ramchandran. I didn’t want anyone to know that he was my father. I was proud of my dad’s work but it just got in the way of me being me. Everyone, especially my dad’s friends, used to be like, ‘Your mum is so beautiful’ But she is also so chilled out. She would make fish curry, prawn curry and have her friends over. It was a regular upper middle-class upbringing. 

Q. When did you realise your dad is a superstar?

Only when we went  for his movie premieres. Then there were psychotic loving fans who would jump on his car. And then my dad would have this completely different persona. And I would be like, oh! this is the other side of him.

Q. Did it scare you as a kid?

No. I loved it. I remember when I was six, I sang for one of his films. And then we went to Singapore for a show and I sang on the stage for the first time. It was a skit where my mum and dad say, ‘Where is Shruti?’ and I’d pop out of the magic box. I remember the audience was screaming because I was Kamal Haasan’s daughter. But then they screamed after I had finished singing and that was for me. That’s when I got hooked. People saying, ‘We love you’. That kind of adulation makes you feel like a rockstar. 

Q. Do you feel dwarfed by your dad?

No. People expect different things from us. They have Kamal Haasan and Sarika for star power. Hyderabad has been extremely supportive. As much as they love dad, they have accepted me as Shruti. Just like Mumbai. Chennai still has that Kamal Haasan hangover. But I don’t mind it. You get so much of love because of the association. But Mumbai or Hyderabad don’t see me as solely his daughter. They go to see my movie and judge me independently. They don’t think about Sadma when they see me or my movie. 

Q. Your  mother is a Maharashtrian and your dad a Tamilian. Did you have an identity crisis while growing up?

Yes. My English sounds South Indian. My Tamil has a Hindi twang. My Hindi has a Tamil twang. Actually, my Hindi is much better thanks to my mom. That we speak Hindi in Chennai is my mom’s biggest achievement. She was worried we would speak Hindi with a South Indian accent. I’m like a nomad who belongs nowhere. In Chennai they feel that I’m not Tamilian enough. In Mumbai they feel I’m too Tamilian.

Q. Were you traumatised by your parents’ separation?

No. If they couldn’t be happy together, it was better to be happier apart. A lot of kids who’ve seen their parent separate, will say that. In the beginning the fairytale idea works in your mind. But if it’s not working out, it’s not working out. As a kid, I was aware and clear about these thing. They live their own lives and do their own thing. Both are happy. Akshara (younger sister) and I are happy as long as they are happy.

Q. So what’s happening on the personal front?

Zero. Seriously, with six movies on hand where do you have the time to find someone who will adjust his life according to your schedule? I will have to find someone jobless for that. And there is nothing less attractive than a jobless man. I like psycho achievers.

Q. What about the live-in rumours with Siddharth?

As far as I’m concerned it didn’t happen.

Q. You are being linked to Dhanush these days?

I know there are 10,000 rumors. For me, it’s a rare connect with someone. Dhanush is an important friend because when nobody thought I could play the part in 3, he stood by me and said I could do it. For anyone in any job, it’s important that people have faith in you. I owe him so much. Also we get along well. We have so much to talk about. He is also a comprehensive artiste. But I’m not going around justifying to people. I’m not going to tell people to put a microchip in my bum and follow me, so that they can know the truth. He is my best friend in the business. He has always helped me artistically. I won’t throw that in trash just because people are talking nonsense about us. I’ve never bothered much about what people say.

Q. Have you thought about marriage?

Not at all. I see kids sooner than marriage, I don’t know why. I love kids. I want to have children. I just can’t see myself getting married. 

Q. What about being with someone?

I don’t know. I’ve  been so independent. Also I imagine myself as being a difficult girlfriend because I’m always on my own trip. I’m an artiste, I’m always figuring out things in my head. Ultimately, it boils down to being with a good and a kind person, which is rare to find. Someone who lets you be. Everyone has this I-want-you-to-be-this-way condition, everyone has a screenplay for you in their head. From what I see, you go expecting one thing and you get nothing what you expected. That’s the scary thing about relationships. Everything else is easy to figure out.

Q. Has your past experience made you skeptical about getting into a new relationship?

I’m an optimist. If one movie doesn’t do well, doesn’t mean the other movie will also do badly. Having said that I would compromise on my relationship for my job. Especially, at the stage I am now. If I feel my relationship is getting in the way of my work, I would let it go without thinking twice. Maybe I will change when I get older. But right now, if something is getting in the way of my career, I would let it go.

Q. Do you feel things are coming together for you now?

Yes. In a lot of ways. There has been a shift in my energies. Initially, I wanted certain things in certain ways. But the more you force the more it doesn’t happen. Now I believe that God has a plan. And this industry makes you compare yourself with other people. Finally I said, I can’t do what that person is doing and that person can’t do what I do, so just chill. Even personally my life has finally found balance in terms of who I am. It’s a good feeling.

Source : Flimfare

My Mom thought someone will make a blue film with me: Kangana Ranaut

These days Kangana Ranaut is busy shopping in the fashionable city of Paris. Not just that, the girl with the curly hair is also planning to stay back for a few more months and do a cooking course in French cuisine. Next on her agenda are plans to trek in the mountains of Kenya, sometime next year. All this doesn’t come as a surprise, bearing in mind the actress’ precipitate nature. 

For someone who has always followed her heart and incidentally achieved success, and for someone who has come from a place (Manali) which lacks even the basic source of entertainment such as a movie theatre, Kangana’s travel to glory is a classic example of an indomitable spirit and is an inspiration for small town aspirants.

So then, to set off in pursuit of a  good time in Paris or anywhere seems most justifiable. With six films — Queen, Rajjo, Krrish 3, Ungli, I Love New Year and Revolver Rani — ready to hit the marquee, the lanky actress is back in the limelight. We catch up with her at a five star hotel.

Are you happy with the phase you’re in today?
I feel I’m in the best phase of my career. Since my first film, Gangster (2006), I had this perpetual complaint that I don’t get the kind of roles and opportunities that I should ideally get. If you read my early interviews you’ll realise how whiny I was!

We’ve heard that there were problems between Ekta Kapoor and you, as you felt left out from the promotions of Shootout At Wadala.
I know she (Ekta) loves me, but unfortunately she’s manipulated by people around her. It’s fine, because I know that at some point we will reconnect. She’s one of the few people who supported me early in my career and I’ll always remain obliged to her for that.

Have you managed to make good friends in the industry?
I don’t have that many friends in the industry but Hrithik (Roshan) is one of the few people who gives me good energy. He’s been always respectful and kind towards me when people around were nasty and judgemental. He stood by me and that means a lot.

Do you miss not being in Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara?
No, I don’t, because I died in the original so obviously I can’t come back. Ajay (Devgn) also died in that film. And frankly, I don’t miss the buzz around it, because Ajay, Emraan (Hashmi), Prachi (Desai) and I had such a great time doing the first part that we became good friends. But I haven’t worked with Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha, so there’s no question of wanting to be part of this project.

You’ve achieved stardom but you haven’t worked with the top stars till now. Why is that?If you work with big stars then they become the lead actors. It’s not that I don’t want to do films with big stars, but I would rather do the films where I get the title roles.

Why haven’t you done a big banner film? 

Yash Chopra never approached me for any film. I’m working in a Karan Johar production, Ungli. I’m also working with Rakesh Roshan, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Anurag Kashyap. For me they are really big.

But you also did some movies where you were nothing but a piece of adornment? Like Rascal (2011) for instance?
Like I said earlier, I tried all that. And I don’t regret it because I had to run my household.

Where did you get the courage to step out of home at the age of 16, as small town girls are usually looked upon as being gullible and vulnerable?
My moving out of the house wasn’t planned. But there’s a saying, if you know where you’re going, the world will step aside and make way for you. I think that’s what happened with me. I knew I wanted to be someone big. That aside, I’ve always been a bit stubborn and rebellious since my childhood. If my father would gift my brother a plastic gun and get a doll for me, I would not accept that. I questioned the discrimination. I’m still the same.

There have been a few stories behind your running away? But what was the real reason?I didn’t run away. I simply packed my bags and went out with everyone’s knowledge. My parents wanted me to be a doctor. So I took up science, but then realised that my heart was not in it at all. The thought of treating ailing people was very depressing. Do not get me wrong here. Medicine is a noble profession, but not everyone is cut out to be in it. I would have constant arguments with my parents. The conflict with my father and my stubbornness collided and I left home. But before leaving, I told him that I need a year to decide whether I want to continue studying medicine or there’s some other vocation made for me. Dad was clear that he didn’t want to waste his money on my aimless pursuit.

And then?I had a friend in Chandigarh, and I started staying with her. Later, we both shifted to Delhi where I got a few small modelling assignments. I also did theatre. I still remember those bankrupt days when I used to live on bread and aachar (pickle) as I didn’t have enough money. That was the time my modelling agency sent me to Mumbai for an audition for a movie titled Gangster.

After your parents saw your debut film, what did they think?
My father went into depression. I had worn backless and done kissing scenes in the film. People in small towns are very simple. They don’t see movies the way we do. I understand that today. But back then, I felt betrayed by my parents. I thought they will understand that they had given birth to an artiste! The conflict sustained until our relatives intervened.

There were talks that Aditya Pancholi brought you to Mumbai. Is it true?
I thought I just told you my story! No, he didn’t get me to Mumbai. Looking back, I feel I was so young and reckless and made so many mistakes which have damaged me physically and mentally. I met all kinds of people and have got into major trouble.

What do you have to say about the Botox culture to look young amongst actors and actresses?I don’t know why everyone feels the pressure to look young. Personally I hate it. I don’t want to inject Botox and look young forever. It’s living in denial and anything that has an undercurrent of this philosophy is bad for your growth. Why compete with someone younger?

We’ve heard that Salman Khan is your very good friend. What happened to the film you were to do with him?He is, but not the kind who I would hang out with every day. But at the same time, if something is bothering me and I need someone to talk to, Salman is the person. I can actually have a conversation with him without being bothered about work. I have never ever asked anyone for work, including him. He is sensitive and mature like me. We were to do a film together which was to be directed by Mahesh Manjrekar. But it never took off. I think Salman would be able to answer why it didn’t.

Are your family and relatives happy?
My parents are happy and so am I. Who cares about relatives? They call me today, but where were they before this? Nobody even bothered to know that my parents had two daughters. Now they want to talk to be me because I am successful.

How often do you visit your hometown Manali? What is life like there?Once a year. Going back to the valley is always a treat! Mountain people are very sweet and simple. There’s no nightlife or any other source of entertainment there. Except a tiny theatre in Shimla, there’s no other movie theatre. People have their dinner at 5 pm and go to sleep. During winters, there’s bonfire and gossip. Now, the Internet has been introduced. The best part is that it’s a beautiful place untouched by the malaise of city life. There’s no divorce, and there’s zero crime rate. People are generally happy.  

Will you ever go back to Manali?I would never be able to spend all my life in a busy city like Mumbai. I haven’t lived a single quality moment in the last eight years here. I would at some point, like to retire there. Cities are fake and the real world lies in small towns. So much of nature is involved there that you stay balanced. Here you deal with cars, roads, buildings and if you see a beggar, you treat him like a building and you treat a building like a human being. I want to buy property in Manali and convert it into a house from the Victorian era. I can ride horses and go skiing. I want to do organic farming.

We’ve heard you will be made the brand ambassador of Himachal Pradesh?Right now Preity Zinta is the brand ambassador. But I’ve heard that they wanted to make me at some point.  

Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma saw the rushes of your next film Queen and were impressed. How does that feel?It was very sweet and kind of them to talk about it. Both of them liked it. Anushka said that after Amitabh Bachchan, if there was 
anyone who so convincingly played a drunkard in a scene, then it was me. I think it’s a huge compliment coming from colleagues.

How did you mend the troubled relationship with your parents?

Kangana along with her mother, brother and sister

My parents didn’t approve of my acting career for a very long time. In fact, when I got the offer, I excitedly called them up. When they learnt that I’m doing a film with the same director (Anuraag Basu) who made Murder (2004), they were horrified. I was very young then and my poor mother feared that someone would exploit me and make a blue film with me.

How did you bag your debut film?
It wasn’t that easy. Mahesh Bhatt (producer of Gangster, 2006) told me that even though my audition was good, I looked too young for the role. Chitrangada Singh was their original choice. But she disappeared as her husband took her back to Delhi. As I wasn’t getting any confirmation from the Bhatts, I went back to Delhi. But soon they called me with a confirmation letter and asked for my passport which I didn’t have. There were lots of issues before being part of the film.

Who are the stars you’d want to work with, other than Salman Khan?I never said I wanted to work with Salman. But like every newcomer, I’d thought that you can be a big star in this industry only if you get to work with big stars and a few big directors. But it’s not true. You can be successful on your own and you don’t need big names. I am one example and the other big example is Vidya Balan. Till sometime back, the success of an actress was measured with the barometer of her pairing with a successful hero. But luckily things are changing now.