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Oye Neetu lucky!

Photo: K. Gopinathan

GLAM QUOTIENT Neetu Chandra is thrilled to share screen space with the Big B in Rann

Competition! What competition, asks Neetu Chandra, shrugging her slender shoulders. “I don’t squander time playing the numbers game or scan glossies to see who’s the next pretty thing or sulk over somebody getting a plum project, 221; says Bollywood’s current dare-bare girl.

And going by the variety of films she has done — “Garam Masala”, “Traffic Signal”, “Oye Lucky Lucky Oye” and “Yaavarum Nalam” (“13B” in Hindi) — she has reasons to sound upbeat.

“I think I have done well for myself. It’s not a small thing when Ram Gopal Varma compliments your performance and signs you for a film (‘Rann’) in which the Big B features.

It takes some courage to do a bilingual horror film (in Tamil and Hindi) early on in your career or to play a mentally-disturbed girl (in Jagmohan Mundra’s ‘Apartment’).”

This Bihar-bred girl took the usual route to cinema — modelling and music videos. “Filmmakers are looking beyond eye-candy flicks . The economic slowdown has forced them to think on their feet. Good films are making more news than big-budgeted ones.”

Thinking actor? Yes.

But, what about those titillating girl-on-girl pictures for a magazine that generated so much heat, or her statement that she can go nude for a James Cameron film.

“The photoshoot was done very aesthetically. It was a contemporary adaptation of the Ajanta-Ellora murals. As for the Cameron comment, I think too much was made out of it. It was a small part of an interview,” she says with cool candour.

Back to work.

“Yaavarum Nalam” is one of the biggest grossers this year and she has already signed her next Tamil film “Theeratha Vilayaattu Pillai” with Vishal. She is also excited about “Apartment”. “I finished the shoot in 35 days. It was a nerve-wracking experience to play a mentally-disturbed character. It affected me so much that I had to do meditation to get out of it.”

She is said to have replaced Raima Sen in “Rann”. “Now, how can I be blamed if the director feels I am better suited for the role? Anyway, I am thrilled to share screen space with the Big B,” says Neetu, who is trained in Kathak, practises the martial arts and is a basketball champion.

There’s also a video game named after her.

“The video game happened since I am a Black Belt. I seriously think every girl should learn a sport. It develops your personality and gives the strength to take on challenges.” Well said, Neetu.

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