Sex is just a physical manifestation of lust. Lust, according to her, means to be conceited, to be passionate about something. So there’s a lot of giggles, a lot of girl talk, candid banter that brightens up our conversation. She is happy that after spending two decades in the industry, she is still considered a top star and is even now getting authorial roles.
Excerpts from a heartfelt conversation with the stormy actress.
What was your reaction when you were approached for Lust Stories 2?
(Laughs) I thought about why I was chosen for this project. But it was an interesting dynamic and interesting character to play. There are many layers to our characters. I felt that Amit Sharma is a good director so it would be interesting to play a character like that.
This is the first time you are working with Kumud Mishra…
I have seen his work on screen, but that was only after I worked with him
I realized that he is a much better actor. It was really a pleasure
and it’s an honor to work with him.
Sex, once talked about in hushed whispers, is now part of the dining room conversation?
Sex was a normal part of our culture; even sex education, for that matter, was part of our culture at one point. It was not hidden; it wasn’t something that was talked about. It is a natural part of our lives. And then there was a time when we stopped talking about it. It has become a taboo subject. If you ask today’s generation, 12, 13, 14 and 15 years old, then it’s a turnaround. They think it’s part of your life. It returned to its original state. This is not your whole life; this is one part of it. I think somewhere down the line movies reflect what is in society. So if these lust stories work, there must be a reason for them, and there might as well be an audience for them willing to see and listen to them.
How has your approach to marriage changed over the years?
The perception has changed completely. Also completely changed to love. Earlier, our concept of love was that if he wrote me 10 letters, came to my door 15 times or threw a stone at my window, then it was love. If something like that happened nowadays, you’d go straight to the police and report him as a serial killer and stalker. Reality entered our lives. This is something we all have to adjust to, especially in marriage. The movies we are shown are a reflection of what we are thinking today’s world.
How has the definition of love changed for you over the years?
Every girl would like James Bond. But you won’t end up marrying James Bond. If you marry James Bond, you will know that he will never be faithful to you. As you grow up and get deeper into the relationship, you realize that friendship is the foundation of a relationship. You must become friends because if you don’t you will become bitter enemies. In a relationship, both sides have to compromise, not just one. So I think that’s really the point of any relationship – to work hard at it. You will have to work in every relationship. And you have to work on it every day. Especially your relationship with your partner, which you hope will be for the rest of your life. But even that is a question mark these days. You never know if it will last your life.
Just as it is important for a couple to stay in love, is staying in lust also a key factor?
Absolutely. What is the meaning of lust? Lust is necessary. I have a thirst for life. I have a craving for food. These are all things you really want to do badly. You want to do things you can’t do without. This is what you call lust. If you put it in only one direction of sex, I feel this is a short-sighted view. You can apply this meaning in many places.
Premarital sex: how important is it to assess compatibility before one gets married?
I do not know that. It depends on the person to be honest. This is something you should ask Neenaji (Gupta) about. because that was her dialogue. She will also give you a frank answer. But I would say it depends on person to person and it depends on what you feel comfortable with and what you don’t feel comfortable with. The point of the film is that as long as we’ve started the conversation, as long as it’s not a taboo subject, we’ve done our job.
One thing a woman should not tolerate in a relationship
Again, it depends on person to person and relationship to relationship. I would definitely say that
physical abuse and violence is not something you should tolerate. I personally think it’s absolutely terrible. Start, open your brain and start looking at different parts of yourself. If you think big, things automatically fall into place.
Has your screenplay selection criteria changed now?
My criteria is the same as before. I want a good script. I want good people who will handle it. That’s the biggest thing for me. And most importantly, I want a script that has something different to say, something different to do, and something different to get excited about. If I’m not excited about it, I won’t do it.
OTT has expanded the scope to work.
Yes, the industry has spread, gotten bigger and grown more than before. Work increased for everyone. Good movies have not decreased, but yes, if good movies are being made, it is important that they also go. There are many movies which were good but were not released. So it is important that they work so that more can be done. It is something that is a choice and it is something that we have to face and understand. A formula will have to be found.
You’re also doing a courtroom drama, The Trial.
Yes, I play Noyonika. I love this character because she is a strong woman. When a strong person is put in a situation where they are weakened and vulnerable, it is a difficult thing to play.
We have always seen you as a happy person. Have you always been like this?
It’s not like I’m always confident; I’m always happy. I have bad days too. But that’s part of life. You can’t bring your personal life into your professional life. I believe in that. My personal and professional life are two different stories. And I like to keep them that way.
When you look in the mirror, do you see flaws on your face?
Of course it happens. But yeah, you don’t talk about that. When I need to talk about it, when I need to explain, I will do it with my people. What’s the point of talking to someone who won’t understand?
What keeps you motivated even now?
(Kichit) How can I not be motivated? I work with great people. They are interesting people and I have a lot of fun on set. For me, work is playtime. I have a lot of fun while I’m working. I’m happy to come to work.
During these twenty-two years,
what is your main takeaway from being a part of the film industry?
It taught me something big: I’m definitely not cut out for a 9 to 6 desk job. It’s not going to happen. I really like where I am today. Our industry is certainly a good place to work. I am happy to see today that there are more women here than there used to be. I see a lot of female assistant directors and a lot of female DOPs today that I had never seen before. I am happy to see so many female producers who are on the set and not just a name appearing on the screen as a female producer. I am glad to see that there is an overall entry of the female gender into films, which is happening in a nice way.