Tame sounds from stunner

A lot more needs to be done for women in Bollywood, actor Bipasha Basu tells Nikhil Varma in a typical promotional interview for her latest film, Aatma

Bipasha Basu

Bipasha Basu has always loved playing unconventional roles, from a possessive ex-superstar in Raaz 3 to characters with shades of grey in Ajnabee, Race etc. In town for promoting her new horror flick, Aatma , that also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bipasha talked about her role in the movie and as brand ambassador of the recently concluded Celebrity Cricket League. Aatma , Basu says is not a conventional horror story. “The movie gave me many lessons on motherhood. It was also one of my first opportunities to work with a small child. I look at it as an emotional film. There are many single mothers who look after their children and deal with the rigours of a punishing work schedule. It is a tale of many women who are caught in terrible marriages and are looking for a way out. It is very different experience when your co-star is a five year old kid. I managed to develop a lot of attachment with the child. I learnt that children entail a lot of responsibility and the bond helped me bring out the maternal instincts of my character in the movie.”

This movie, Basu contends is different from other movies in the genre. “We are used to the idea of fear being of the kind that has been seen in B and C grade films from the past. I firmly believe a love story or a comedy could follow a certain graph or a patter but when it comes to horror, you can run your imagination wild.”

Basu contends, “In any such movie, the characters must connect with you at many levels. If you do not feel that the characters and the situations are not real, there will be no connect and the audience will not like the movie. It is a new age film that has a small runtime and keeps one engaged right throughout. My co-star in

Atma , Nawazuddin Siddiqui was a great person to work with. I was comfortable working with him, even in scenes which involved some physical violence.”

One of the things that bother Bipasha about Bollywood is the lack of proper roles for woman characters. “I feel that Bollywood movies do not offer opportunities for woman characters. In most cases, female characters are made to act as a lackey to the male superstar, dance a bit and their job is done.

It is sad that despite good actors, most female characters are typecast in such small roles, with no potential for growth of the character. It is good that movies like Kahani, Barfi are making an attempt to break that stereotype, though a lot more needs to be done.”

Her next film is a creature film, on the lines of

Jaws and

Anaconda , a first in Bollywood. “I am very excited about the movie. It is a new genre in India. It is going to be tough. The making of the creature is also an exciting process. Like

Aatma , I have been involved in all stages of production in any movie I work on now.”