Defused?

It hasn’t been a great year for Basu. ‘‘I have had five flops,’’ she agrees, ticking off Ishq Hai Tumse, Aetbaar, Rudraksh, Rakht and Madhoshi.

After early hits Ajnabee, Raaz and Jism, Basu was the next big thing. Bollywood embraced her bronzed, voluptuous body and her in-your-face sexuality. But somewhere along the string of box office disasters (eight since 2003’s Jism), the script went horribly wrong. Newcomers like Mallika Sherawat, Sameera Reddy and Amrita Arora grabbed the Bipasha formula and gained an edge.

But Basu doesn’t think so. ‘‘I’ve already proved myself as an actor in my four years here. People still want to see me, I feel the buzz about me the moment I step out of the house. This industry is a gamble. When you are in it, you should just chill,’’ she analyses.

THE THIRD DEGREE

Why have the big banners steered clear of you?
Let me tell you that Dhoom was offered to me, but I said no because it was a boys’ film. I didn’t have much to do in it but, yeah, I would have benefitted since it’s a hit. Look at Sushmita Sen, she’s done good work in films that were not really seen. But the moment she wore a chiffon sari in Main Hoon Na, everyone went ‘Wow’. Sushmita is an intelligent woman, she’ll know what I mean.

Can we expect a role reversal?
I’m tired of carrying the burden of a film on my shoulders. I just want to look good now and take it easy. I am going through a strange phase where I just want movies with big names and a bankable hero. Like some of my forthcoming projects—there’s Boney Kapoor’s No Entry, Suneel Darshan’s Barsaat, John Mathew Mathan’s untitled film and Prakash Jha’s Aparhan.

What’s your take on the clones you have spawned?
Whoever wants to put on bronze make-up is welcome to it. You can buy it off the counter. I don’t own it. Even brides are asking for it. T & A comes and goes, it’s all about how you project yourself. I believe in modesty and not making bold statements. No one can threaten me.

Who’s your competition?
I am not competing with anybody. I will withdraw the day I feel I am forcing my presence in Bollywood. You guys won’t have to throw me out. I have lost 12 kilos and I am feeling just right.

THE REPORT CARD

THE PATRON
Mahesh Bhatt, film-maker
I was amazed at her audaciousness when she did a film like Jism right after Raaz. Bipasha will always be remembered for turning the tide to eroticism. She’s the diva of the erotic thriller.

Mallika Sherawat might be a contender but she has small-town appeal. Mallika is a crass and downmarket sex symbol whereas Bipasha’s sexuality is more organic, it’s in her DNA. She doesn’t struggle to put it on.

It’s inevitable that the attributes of a successful brand are imitated or cloned, but in the end, only that brand endures and reinvents. And Bipasha knows she’s the one.

Her weak point is that she is not competitive and single-minded about her career. She’s not paranoid about her looks and wants to enjoy life on her own terms. But that also adds to her appeal.

THE BIG BANNER
Karan Johar, film-maker
Just the other day, I was shooting with her for my chat show and I told her that she’s looking her best right now. Bipasha’s biggest strength is her tremendous screen presence, which is conveyed to perfection through her eyes. For a while, she was trapped in the mould of the sexy and sultry actress, but that doesn’t take away the fact that she has class. One right film and she’s back.

THE EX
Dino Morea, actor
Bipasha and I are basically in the same boat. After Raaz we were both contenders for some sort of throne. But there was nobody to guide us and we were unable to capitalise on our success. We were offered so many films together and we signed whatever sounded good. Nobody told us that too much is not good. But hopefully, we know better now.

THE CLONE
Sameera Reddy, actor
When I saw Bipasha in Jism, I was like, ‘Wow, I don’t know if I can be that blatant’. I don’t know if she is in a sex symbol trap. If she is, then it’s not her fault because Bipasha is what the media has made out of her. I don’t agree that I am in the ‘Bipasha mould’. I am sure that once people see Musafir, they’ll notice I have done it my way.

MISTER MONEYBAGS
Boney Kapoor, producer
Bipasha reminds me of Sophia Loren. In my forthcoming film, No Entry, she plays a seductress who dangles Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Fardeen Khan. You can say that she is the fourth hero of the film. Only she can carry a role like that. Although her recent bad phase doesn’t affect me as a producer, I can’t speak on behalf of my distributors. I can’t comment on her choice of films.

THE EXPERT
Vaibhavi Merchant, choreographer
Though she’s not a natural dancer, she is hardworking and brings a certain mindset to the film. She is not your ghagra choli clad gaon ki chori kind of heroine. Jhatkas, matkas and pelvic thrusts are not for her. She is more comfortable doing the club songs and the hip hop numbers.

THE TRADE PUNDIT
Amod Mehra, editor, Entertainment Business Network
After Jism, producers were queuing up to sign her at Rs 50 lakh. But her recent spate of flops and weight gain severely affected her market. The problem is that people only want to see her doing sexy roles with minimal clothes. For cinegoers, she is not an ‘actress, actress’ but a sex bomb. She’s caught in her own image.