Vidya Balan: I love Italian men

[Archivio] Vi segnalo un vecchio articolo decisamente insipido ma dal titolo interessante, Vidya Balan: I love Italian men, di Sumitra Nair, pubblicato da iDiva il 6 gennaio 2011. L'unica frase degna di nota: 'Her dream destination is Sicily in Italy since she loves "Italian food and men!".'

Kareena Kapoor: If you are content, you'll never cheat

Da qualche giorno circola in rete la fotografia ufficiale delle nozze di Kareena Kapoor e di Saif Ali Khan. Gli sposi sono ritratti da Avinash Gowariker in una posa molto classica e regale. In India il rito del matrimonio prevede diverse cerimonie, il cui numero in questo caso è arricchito dal fatto che Kareena è di religione hindu e Saif di religione musulmana. Il fatidico sì è stato pronunciato il 16 ottobre 2012. Per Saif si tratta del secondo matrimonio. 

Ne approfitto per segnalarvi l'intervista concessa da Kareena a Vivek Bhatia, pubblicata da iDiva il 19 ottobre 2012. Kareena Kapoor: If you are content, you’ll never cheat:

'Do you think, this is the time for actresses to break the mould and carry films on their shoulders?

Let’s face it. It’s a male-dominated industry. (...) I’ve always maintained that box-office success is what counts. People don’t care about your performance.

Madhur Bhandarkar’s films thrive on sensationalism, no?

Not Heroine. Fashion was more on the sensational side. Heroine was sensational in parts but it had depth in content. It was a potent mixture of commercial elements, content and performances. The fact is that the person who buys the ticket on a Friday is going in for sensationalism. No one wants to see my performance. That is secondary. They want to see what Madhur Bhandarkar has made. (...) I think my role in Heroine is an award-winning performance. It is bold, eccentric and different. It’s not run-of-the-mill. I’ve given it my all. The way I’ve looked, the way I’ve performed is spectacular. (...) The character is bold. (...) But by bold I don’t mean skin show. At the end of the day, I’m a commercial actress. There are certain boundaries to be taken care of. I don’t think I could have done The Dirty Picture. Vidya [Balan] is so talented that she managed to pull it off with ease. I do have my limitations.

Reportedly, you asked Madhur to rewrite a few scenes...

That’s not true at all. (...)

Do you get affected after playing intense roles?

While working for Heroine, it did get disturbing at times. So while shooting certain scenes, I’d get upset. (...)

Why did you opt out of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s [Goliyon Ki Raasleela] Ram Leela opposite Ranveer Singh?

Sanjay and I wanted to work together for 13 years but it never worked out. There were some date problems with Ram Leela. My managers did not think it would be a good idea to give 200 days to a film, at this stage of my career. I was offered two films at the same time - Karan Johar’s untitled film to be directed by Punit Malhotra opposite Imran Khan, and Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha opposite Ajay Devgan. So I went ahead with them.

You and Prakash Jha seem quite an unusual combination.

Prakash is an immensely successful director. His heroines have strong roles. Also, Ajay is a successful actor. I’m sure I can work with Ranveer in the future but as of now I’d like to work with Ajay.

Does your choice of movies depend on the bankability of the star opposite you? 

Yes, I’d like to work with commercially bankable stars. I’ve done Omkara and Golmaal 2 and 3 with Ajay. If people say I’ve chosen to work with Imran over Ranveer, that’s also because I’ve given a commercial hit with Imran (Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu). It has been one of the best performances of my career. And the chemistry was brilliant. (...)

What’s your equation with Ranbir [Kapoor]?

Ranbir and I aren’t particularly close to each other. Look, I’ve generally not been close to anyone in the family. I’m independent, in my own space and doing my own thing. I’ve only been very close to Lolo (sister Karisma Kapoor). Also, I have studied in a boarding school. Anyway, I was not really in touch with the family.

Is there any kind of bitterness with the rest of the Kapoors? 

Not really. But every family has its own set of problems. A few people may never get along. That’s normal, not a big thing. (...)

Is it because your career is at its peak that you don’t want to get distracted by your personal life?

I firmly believe that being married or not, cannot affect my career. I’ve lived with a man for five years. Before that, I was in another relationship for five years. I’ve never shied away from admitting to being in love. And I’ve had a career parallel to my personal life. I’m not one of those actresses who’d say, ‘Oh! I’m so busy and my life is from studio to home and home to studio!’ I have a personal life but I also have my career; I’m a thorough professional. The image I have on screen has got nothing to do with how I am in real life. The minute I get home, I turn off my cellphone and have nothing to do with the onscreen Kareena Kapoor. (...) People should know about my films and performances. Stop giving a heroine’s married life so much importance.

Your relationship with Saif [Ali Khan] is five years old. Has the initial excitement died down?

Not at all. We’re best friends and lovers. (...) We are strong individuals and we give each other space. It’s great that Saif and I have a 10-year age gap. He has more knowledge than I do. He has broadened my horizons. Whether it’s fine dining, reading or travelling; he’s just amazing. He’s well-read and well-spoken. He’s supremely successful in whatever he does. Why should I care about who’s doing what, as far as Saif and I are doing our work, earning bucks and going for holidays.

Would you ever cheat?

No, I don’t think so. There are temptations but if you’re happy and content with your man, then you’d never cheat. The only time you’d look elsewhere or stray is when you’re unhappy. (...)

If Saif asks you to give up your career, how would you react?

You think Saif would ever say that? In fact, he’d tell me to work. He’s modern in thought. But it would be quite funny if he’d ask me to get into a burqa.

Your wildest fantasy?

(Sighs) Moving to Paris. Away from the paparazzi. If I get bored of the anonymity, then I’ll come back. I just want to do my work, go there and chill. Here, the paparazzi wants to know what I’m eating, what I’m wearing. It gets annoying after a point'.

Kangna Ranaut: I struggled for roles like crazy

Vi segnalo l'intervista concessa da Kangana Ranaut a Kersi Khambatta, pubblicata oggi da iDiva. I struggled for roles like crazy:

'“There is an almost non-existent cultural element to life in Himachal. There is no art, no theatre or music, not even a traditional dance that we can call our own. This hit me the first time I went to Chandigarh, just out of school; all of a sudden, from growing up among trades-people and agriculturists, I was surrounded by people who were studying art, music, theatre, stuff we had never heard about back home. Suddenly, my future options were no longer limited to science fields, law or accounting. I realised that there are a whole bunch of other things I can be, and all of those were way more attractive. I chose to act.”

But the parental reaction to that must have been formidable. “Of course it was. There were shouting matches. My father was rendered speechless. My mother thought I was possessed. Even my elder sister thought I was mad. That was the worst, most stressful period of my life. Today, I don’t know how I went through it all.”

You reckon you can see a little of the steel it must have taken a 17-year-old to stand her ground and take off to New Delhi against everyone’s wishes, to enroll in the Asmita Theatre Group run by veteran theatre director Arvind Gaur. “Theatre was my stepping stone to film.” (...)

According to Wikipedia, she was ‘spotted by Anurag Basu in a cafe and he offered her the lead role in Gangster (2006).’ Does this kind of stuff really happen?

“It’s rubbish. They cooked up this story because it sounds dreamy and filmi in itself. I struggled for roles like crazy. Agents would call us; there were all these same aspirants going around everywhere, to all the same auditions. I sat in queues, read lines like everyone else. And I got picked for Gangster.”

Was theatre not satisfying enough to continue? “My mentor, Arvind Gaur, told me that theatre in this country is only done to fulfill a passion; there is no money in it. If you want to be successful and make money, then films are the only way. I loved my time in [New] Delhi, although it was tough. I lived in a hostel, did a little modelling to support myself, although I was not very successful at it. The most favourable response I received was for my acting. Bombay just seemed the obvious choice after that.” (...)

Ask her about what these seven years in Bollywood have taught her, and she thinks. “More decisiveness about where I am going. More clarity where there once was only total confusion. My brain is less scattered. I would still love to do many things, paint, sing, but I think I’ll focus on acting for now.”

After playing trouble-ridden characters, (...) there was some serious need for comic relief. “Tanu Weds Manu was a treat to do. I still don’t know what I do best, but I’d had enough of the psycho-bitch roles. Comedy gave me a chance to learn new expressions”.'

Kalki Koechlin: These boots are meant for walkin'

[Archivio] Riporto di seguito un'intervista concessa da Kalki Koechlin a Vivek Bhatia, pubblicata da iDiva il 25 novembre 2011. These Boots Are Meant For Walkin’: Kalki:

'It’s that smile. It makes you listen to her with rapt attention. Topics pelt you like a hailstorm. She begins with an outsider’s account of the film industry. Then she speaks eloquently about her love for theatre and how she wouldn’t stop trying to make it big in films. Top that with her being Caucasian. She’s aware of strangers ogling at her, while she walks down the street. “They don’t know anything about me. This is my home. I belong here,” she says emphatically. Recently, she married a certain Mr. Kashyap - a divorcee with a 10-year-old daughter named Aaliyah. He’s known to be mercurial and doesn’t hold a pleasant reputation in the industry. “I think he’s quite sorted,” she takes up for her director husband.

We make ourselves comfortable in her new duplex apartment. “It’s an awesome den,” she says, referring to the new house the couple has bought for a steal. “Whenever I need a break, I switch my phone off and sit here in peace. I’ve got one room filled with DVDs and the other with books. It’s like a holiday destination,” she beams. We’re accompanied by her cat. His name is Dosa. “I had another one by the name of Masala, but she went absconding,” she tells me, while caressing her pet. She’s under the weather and gingerly sips on her green tea as we chat.

Kalki’s film That Girl In Yellow Boots (TGIYB) has been a late bloomer. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival last year, where it garnered great reviews. Back home the film saw the light of day quite late. All thanks to its offbeat subject and dark treatment. (...) “Ruth’s character has been the most difficult role for me,” she exclaims. “Apart from Ruth being Caucasian, we have nothing in common. Ruth is very dark.” TGIYB is her career’s first solo film. She considers herself lucky to have got this film. She also expresses her interest in doing a biopic someday. “You get to play a real person, dig deep into the character’s persona and do in-depth research,” she explains her excitement about doing a biopic. 

With TGIYB she also makes a debut of sorts as a film writer. “Anurag first asked me to play the main lead and I readily agreed. A few months later, he asked me to write the film and I refused,” she laughs. Having written for theatre in the past, she knows that film writing is a different ballgame. “But Anurag wanted to narrate the story through a woman’s perspective. So after a lot of prodding, I did give it a shot.” 

She’s extremely ‘lazy’ when it comes to writing. She goes into full-throttle melodrama, points towards the ceiling and jokes, “I need some kind of inspiration to fall on me.” She adds cheekily, “Even Anurag is damn lazy. He occasionally needs a hard kick on the butt.” Kalki says that a deadline is her worst nightmare. She doesn’t believe in locking herself in a room and writing. “Even in school if we had to submit an essay, I’d be staying up all night and submitting it at the very last moment.” Her ideal place to write is Ooty. “My mom stays there. There is no cell network and it’s extremely peaceful.” (...)

Kalki has portrayed characters that belong to a foreign origin. This surely has limited her avenues as an actor. She agrees her appearance is a ‘realistic drawback’. “I look like a foreigner. (...) As an actor, I want to push my boundaries. But I can’t change the way I look.” Considering that she looks like a foreigner, a lot of people have advised Kalki to work in Hollywood. “I’d love to do French cinema. They have amazing filmmakers there. But I always want to be here, even if I get work abroad,” she states empathically. She believes Indian cinema is growing by leaps and bounds. “There is a distinct change. There are mainstream films being made for the masses but there are new filmmakers who are making a difference.” She adds she’d never be able to sign an out-and-out brainless, commercial caper. “I’d love to do a film like Band Baaja Baaraat. That was a commercial film too but it wasn’t nonsensical. I’d never do a brainless film even if it’s opposite Aamir Khan.” 

But being a Rajinikanth fan, Kalki confesses she’d blindly sign a film opposite him. “I’ve grown up watching his films and even if you know it’s wrong in every way, you still like it. I’d do pretty much anything with Rajinikanth, except a porn film,” she laughs. Jokes apart, Kalki states that the reason why masala films don’t come her way is because she isn’t a commercially saleable actor. “Today, either it’s a new face or a face that is saleable at the box office. Acting isn’t the priority,” she points out. 

Among her contemporaries she thinks Priyanka Chopra has really evolved. “She may not have stood out in the beginning but Priyanka pushed the boundaries with Kaminey and 7 Khoon Maaf. People may not like her movies but her performances have been brilliant,” she says. “And now she’s coming out with a music album. That’s awesome.”

Theatre has always been Kalki’s first love. “It makes you shed all your inhibitions. Also, there’s a live audience, you can’t lie to them, they’re right there,” she explains. Kalki recalls her school days where she was always part of the drama team. Later, in college, she studied theatre and completely submitted herself to the art form. Terming the process as ‘humbling’ she says, “I’ve seen people do other work to afford doing theatre because they don’t make enough money just acting in plays. They rehearse three months prior to the show. This kind of discipline I don’t see in people working in films.” Having said that she’s high on filmmaking. “I’m discovering more and more about filmmaking. It’s a lot subtler. In the end you don’t need to have the histrionics like plays do,” says she.

Talk about Anurag and Kalki becomes a different person altogether. She can’t stop blushing and seems more excited than ever. The couple recently got married with just close family and friends attending. Kalki didn’t want the marriage to turn into a social event. “Everyone had an awesome time at the wedding. There was absolutely no pressure. I was having breakfast with my pajamas on and then I changed into a saree and got married,” she laughs. She claims marriage hasn’t changed anything. “I've lived long enough with him to know his terrible habits. I haven’t found anything new to crib about,” she jokes.

But there are a few things about Anurag which bother Kalki. One of them being Anurag not taking out time for his daughter. “I told him that she would grow up in no time and show you the finger when she becomes a teenager,” she states. Kalki adds that Anurag isolated himself at a point when he was going through a traumatic phase fighting the norms of the industry. “I told him to take a step back, show what he’s got by shutting up and doing his work,” says she. Anurag seems to have followed his wife’s advise and he clearly is in a much happier space.

“I took him windsurfing and it was hilarious. He was in the water more than he was on the board,” she laughs. “We also go for treks to different places. He has been opening up. There has been a positive change in him. And it’s not forced.” She recalls Anurag’s sister warning her about how difficult it was to live with the man. “She told me, ‘He’s an impossible person to be with’,” she laughs. She admits that Anurag is a difficult person but adds, “If I had to take him seriously, I’d go nuts. But I wouldn’t claim that I have changed him. I just give him a nice slap occasionally,” she jokes. “He was always a positive person. But everyone saw the other side. So he conveniently played on that,” she reasons. “I think he just woke up to the reality that, ‘Oh yeah I was a normal person and I used to have fun.’”

The 10-year age gap between them doesn’t seem to bother Kalki. She thinks it works in favour of their relationship. “He’s lived more than I have and he’s gone through so much that he appreciates what he has with me,” she says. “I’ve been with many boyfriends who’ve been half-hearted. He’s wholehearted. That’s what I love about him”.'