Over the years, side hero or heroine has been an important ingredient of our cinematic narratives. A few of them graduate to play lead protagonists, but most keep repeating themselves. Giving their lives and struggle a comic touch, director Rohan Sippy has come up with a web series for Eros Now. Called SideHero, it has Kunal Roy Kapoor and Gauhar Khan in lead roles. Gauhar was one of the top models in the fashion industry when she switched to films. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she didn’t start with a typical romantic tale or a glamorous role. But she emerged as one of the finds of Rocket Singh: The Salesman of the Year. The film didn’t do well at the box office and Gauhar’s film career didn’t soar. In the last few years, she has been noticed for her dancer numbers in films such as Ishaqzaade and celebrity dance show Jhalak Dikhlaa Jaa . Not to forget her impressive performances in Bigg Boss and Begum Jaan .
Excerpts:
Tell us about your character in SideHero
I am playing Sarika, the ex-wife of Kunal. She is an independent woman and runs her own business. They both have both moved on in life but are still in touch with each other. She is the one person with whom he can discuss his issues. She does not want him to be around all the time but allows him to tell everything about his daily life. A lot of humorous moments happen during these talks and it also shows how things change after you separate with somebody whom you know so well.
The show gives us a glimpse of how the film industry operates. According to you, how real is the portrayal?
I can't say how truthful it is, but yes, like in the show, you find many actors who are obsessed with themselves and don't think beyond them. It is a fun take on stardom, struggle and the journey of becoming a hero. Since it is a work of fiction, things are a bit exaggerated. Certain personal experiences of Rohan and Kunal were elaborated upon and took shape of a narrative.
From being a top model to an actress, how do you look back at your journey?
It has been extremely fulfilling. I did not plan to be a model and then move to acting. I just followed my gut feeling. I am glad that I was not bracketed for certain things only, and have beeen noticed as a versatile performer who could do various things. People told me not to do Rocket Singh because I was not cast opposite Ranbir Kapoor. I did it because I felt it right and I am really glad that I did that. Some people even suggested me not to do a web series but I feel it is the right time for me to enter this medium.
There were many projects which looked very nice on paper but I had the intuition that they would not come off well. I don't want to be seen all the time.. Irrespective of the size of the project, I see what is in it for me.
You are also known for your dance talent and the space for a dancing star is still vacant...
I don't think that I have reached to a point where I can say that I am known for my dancing style or something related to dance, which is unique to me. I dance to feel alive and it is a part of my life. I don't hone it to become famous. You don't need to be known only for one special skill. An actor has to be good in a number of skills. These days, I think, YouTube sensations are more popular than any leading lady in the industry. So, you don't need to be a film actor to be a dancing superstar. Audiences are aware of this, because of exposure to dance talent shows. We have seen that you can become a sensation overnight because of a video uploaded on the internet.
What is your opinion on 'item’ numbers?
The term item is not something which I relate to. I like to describe them as dance numbers or entertainment numbers as they are the highlight of the films.
You also keep appearing in music videos...
I don't want to remain stuck to one medium and I want collaborate with creative people. I have done Punjabi numbers as well because I feel they command a large audience.
