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What is Mahima upto?
'I want to exercise control over my choices,' says the actress
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Mahima Chaudhary has had a very low key presence on the film circuits and, indeed, at the marquee.
You saw her last in Kundan Shah's Dil Hai Tumhaara, starring Arjun Rampal, Preity Zinta and Rekha.
The film did not fare well. Mahima, however, seems to be in a chatty mood when Seema Sinha catches up with her at Mumbai's Film City Studio, where she is shooting for Raman Kumar's Sarhad Paar with Sanjay Dutt and Tabu.
She is her usual, bright self, except when it comes to talking about two people: Subhash Ghai, in whose Pardes Mahima made her debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan. And Leander Paes, her boyfriend. Both issues, she skips adeptly.
Here is an artiste whose only consideration for working in a film is that she must like the story. No other issues bother her -- whether the movie is a box-office success or flop, she says in an interview:
What are your priorities now? What films attract you??
Actually, both my last films were family dramas: Anupam Kher's Om Jai Jagadish and Kundan Shah's Dil Hai Tumhara. It was wonderful working with Kundan Shah. He is a very good director.
I am also waiting for the completion of Smita Thackeray's Hum Do Hamaara Ek with Govinda, which is almost done. It is a comedy, a fun film. I really enjoy these kind of films. They energise you, make work easier, especially a spontaneous actress like me. Running around trees and across paddy fields can be exhausting after a while.
Another film that I am looking forward to is Rahen Na Rahen Hum with Ajay Devgan and Amisha Patel. It is a remake of a Malayalam film. Shobhana played my role in the original, for which she had won several awards.
How do you judge a good role?
It is very difficult to tell. A good story is as important as a good role. The story should be able to strike a chord within you. You should be able to identify with the story somewhere. Then whether the character that you are playing is good, bad or ugly, it does not really matter. For me, the director is very important when I accept a film. Then he or she (the director) needs the support of a good producer and a good starcast.
Are you happy with the choices you are making?
It is not always easy. Sometimes, I am forced into taking a decision. I hate it when I am forced into a decision; I feel very uneasy. I am most happy when I am the one taking the decision. It might be the most inspiring film in the world, but if I do not like it I will not do it. I have to believe in the film to take it up.
That is why I am very happy with Sarhad Paar. It is a wonderful story about a soldier who leaves his young wife and goes to war from where he does not return. I play the soldier's (Sunjay Dutt) sister who is instrumental in bring him and his wife (Tabu) together. When he does not return from war, the sister holds back her own marriage (to her fiance played by Chandrachur Singh) in the hope that her brother will return home any day. Five years go by this way.
It is a great film and I am enjoying every minute of it. I like the whole ensemble of actors. I like the people behind the scenes, like the writers Akash Khurana and Robin Bhatt, director Raman Kumar. The simplicity of the dialogues is nice.
While success is important, it has to be a good film first. Whether it is a flop or a hit, a good film is a good film. I have no control over hits and flops. But I do have control over the choices I make. And when I make the wrong choice I do not like it. I regretted it once. And, no, I will not name that movie here. *laughs*
How did you prepare for your role in Sarhad Paar?
Playing a Sikh woman is not easy. And working alongside Tabu, who has wonderfully portrayed the role of a Sikhni, is more difficult. It has withstood so many invasions in the last century, so I guess people in the North are naturally very aggressive. That is what I worked on.
I am a Punjabi Jat. North Indians tend to talk a little louder than others. They are also physically strong; they are not delicate people. Their hand movements are very firm. They walk straight and seem taller than other women. I am not that tall. That fact was driven home to me more when I stood next to Tabu. I have worked on the clothes, too. Everything is going fine now, but the tough part will be when we shoot in Punjab!
Do you have many friends in the industry?
My real friends are from outside the industry. I am friendly with people from the industry. When I am working with them I chat a lot and joke with them. We spend so little time with each other while shooting that there is no real bonding.
But friends are those whom you can tell the dark secrets of your life to. You can pick up the phone and talk to them any time of the day. During shows or events, I hang out with my colleagues. But after pack-up it is my time with friends.
Does life become easier if you have a godfather in the industry?
Having a godfather is as nice as having your parents in the industry. The bottomline is that it is nicest when you are responsible for your achievements. Nothing gives you a bigger kick than that.
India News Feature Service
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