Sometimes, life can take you through strange twists. I had never imagined that I would interview a classmate some day!
Vidya Balan and I went to the same college, St Xaviers, and were in the same class. Though I did not know her well, I can still remember her warm smiling face.
Years later, I saw that same face on a couple of ads like Ponds and Bajaj, and music videos.
And soon, Vidya Balan went on to become one of the most promising newcomers in the industry. Debuting in this Friday's release, Parineeta, Vidya is as cool as a cucumber. Even the fact that her first film premiere will be in Amsterdam at the IIFA awards doesn't get her jittery.
"It hasn't sunk into me as yet. I feel nothing as yet," she explains, while getting a pedicure.
I am a Tamilian from Kerala. I come from Palghat, on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. I am from the Iyer community.
I love acting. I have always wanted to act -- the medium could have been anything. So I started modelling.
After college, when I was doing my MA from Mumbai University, I was offered an audition for a Malayalam film. I did, and got the role. It was called Chakram, and starred Mohanlal. It was a huge thrill for me. He is one of my favourite actors.
Unfortunately, the film was shelved. There were some issues between the director and Mohanlal.
After this, I did an ad for Dada (Pradeep Sarkar). A couple of months later, he asked me to audition for a music video. I ended up doing three music videos with him -- with Euphoria, Shubha Mudgal and Pankaj Udhas.
Mr Vidhu Vinod Chopra wanted to have a bankable star in Parineeta. But Dada had visualised me in the role. So I was taken through a whole regimen of preparation and testing for a couple of months -- photo shoots, performance tests, how to get the look right, costume trials and lots more.
I remember I was at the Enrique concert in Mumbai. I was inching my way through the crowds towards the stage because Enrique was about to sing Hero. And then I get a call from Mr Chopra and he said, 'Hello Vidya. You are my Parineeta.'
I couldn't hear him because of the crowd. I asked if I could call back. Dada came on the line and said I should get out from the crowd. I caught hold of my friend's hand and ran out. I needed him to push people aside so that I could run out. I was told I had got the role. It was such a beautiful and unforgettable moment.
I've enjoyed watching Mumtaz and Sharmila Tagore in their wigs and the way they drape their saris with the short pallus and churidar kurtas. Getting into all that -- since Parineeta is set in the 1960s -- was very interesting for me. I am very comfortable wearing saris. I used to wear them a lot in my ads!
I feel my character Lalita is the epitome of womanhood. She is very sensitive, sharp and resilient. She can bounce back after a crisis. She's also steadfast to her commitment to love. Even if she is not happy, she spreads happiness.
I have read the novel; seen all versions of the film. I am doing Meena Kumari's role but there is no pressure on me. I wouldn't even kid myself that I am recreating what Meena Kumari once played. That would be blasphemous! I just want to do justice to Lalita, and to the way my director has visualised her.
Dada pushes you beyond your limits until he gets what he wants. That can get difficult at times but I am used to it.
I remember a really bad day for me. It was towards the end of the schedule in Kolkata. We had been shooting for 45 days at a stretch, and were at our wit's end.
I was made to change my costume five times that day! Somehow, the natural light kept changing. Every time we decided to do a scene, the light would change and I would have to get into another costume. I really lost my cool that day. But I realised that no one was to blame.
We started shooting with a song, Kasto Mazza, my favourite. I was not nervous at all because I had done a lot of tests and reading with Saif before. It was picturised on Saif and me, in Siliguri. The locals there went crazy on seeing Saif, because not many Hindi films are shot there. We shot the song on a toy train, which was the same train that was used in Mere Sapno Ki Rani (Aradhana), with (Saif's mother) Sharmila Tagore.
Saif never made me feel that I was acting with a star. He is a brilliant actor. Parineeta will take him to another level.
He is very chilled out and a lot of fun. There was this incident when we were shooting the song Kyun Bole around the piano. I kept rehearsing. I was quite nervous because it was my first dance number. I had to twirl around. The choreographer told me to just let go. So in the take, I actually let go. And I fell over Saif! He almost fell off his stool! That was hilarious. So from the next time that we'd rehearse, he'd duck if I went near him!
But when he focuses on work, fun goes out of the window. He expects people to maintain discipline, and doesn't want too many people on the sets.
I don't have any scenes with Dia (Mirza). I've just met her once in the hotel, so I don't know her well.
Sanjay (Dutt) is very sweet. We were shooting in Kolkata. After my shot, I returned to my van. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Sanjay came in. It was his last day of shooting, and he was leaving. He had come to say bye. I was so touched. He went up to every single person on the unit -- from the production guys to the actors -- and said goodbye.
Raima (Sen) and I got along very well. We're called the chipkali sisters! We're always doing mad things. We often met up after shooting. She had a house in Kolkata but she would come over to where we were staying and hang around.
After Parineeta, I'm doing Mr Chopra's next production, Lage Raho Munnabhai. But I cannot talk about it yet.
