On her Own

Is it true that you are dating Rana Daggubatti?

No. But I also lie sometimes. In 2011,it was my resolution to lie once in a while. My honesty regarding my previous relationship has got me nowhere. So you’ve got to catch me when I lie.

You made a debut with Abbas-Mustan’s Ajnabee and Players is your fourth film with them. How instrumental have they been in shaping your Bollywood career?

I am like their baby; they treat me like their kid. We understand each other totally. If it wasn’t for them,I would never have become an actor. They are directors who know how to use me best in a film.

When you came into the industry,you kind of defied norms with your bold avatar. Was it a conscious effort?

I was not a Hindi film viewer and I was my own person. When I entered the business,I was told there are rules a Hindi film actress needs to follow. For instance,I was asked not to drink iced tea in a glass because people on the set talked about how I drank whisky in the open — I found that bizarre. But I stuck to my guns,I told my directors that I don’t care what they think. I know what I am doing.

Your unconventional attitude off-screen often got translated on-screen as well.

Yes,I came across as someone who could take care of herself. I never hesitated to play the negative role,because it was so far away from me and it was more challenging.

I launched myself in Bollywood in a negative role. Movies like Jism and Race were an extension of what I liked doing on screen.

Is your character in Players also negative?

With Abbas Mustan films,you do not have negative characters,you have characters with grey shades.

You sport a bikini in the film,which has now become a regular practice in films. But are you proud of the fact that you made sexy popular long ago with Jism?

I am glad I have brought about a change in Bollywood. There was a strong taboo against women being sexy.

Although actresses were sexy in the ’70s,Bollywood became strange in the ’80s and early ’90s and being sexy became a bad thing. I remember journalists being apologetic when they asked me how do I like being termed as sexy. I used to tell them that I feel good because people also call Julia Roberts sexy.

Is fitness still a rage with you?

It will always be. It is very important in the business. As a movie-goer,I feel that when you are watching people on the big screen,why not see physically fit people?

After Players,you have the Hollywood film Singularity. How important is it in terms of your filmography?

It’s very important because I have really worked hard for it. I shot for it in Australia amid these dangerous bugs that could kill you with just one bite. Since I was playing an Indian warrior,I was barefoot at all times. There were times when I drank the swamp water,fought with 50 soldiers,had cuts all over my body. But I still had the time of my life.