Her own space
You might know her by her more popular avatar; as singer in Shaa'ir+Func, but Monica Dogra now has more reason to smile. With her acting debut in Kiran Rao's “Dhobi Ghat”, Dogra says, “I have waited for this for so long.” Initially, while growing up in New York, Dogra faced rejection for acting roles, but she said, “I never really gave up because I knew that some day all this would just come together.” Of course her biggest thrill was working with Rao and Aamir Khan though Dogra said the best part was the location and the fact that most of the time they had to be very discreet while giving their shots. She said she did not feel like a “newcomer” on the sets and finds she is able to balance her music and film schedules pretty well. Dogra is equally clear that she is not the face for mainstream Bollywood. “I'll just have to create my own niche” said the spunky newcomer.
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Mallika Sherawat has always grabbed eyeballs. So when she stepped into the small screen, it was only natural that the media went into a frenzy of speculation. But Sherawat, with her characteristic devil-may-care attitude, retorted, “I didn't come on TV because there is no other work for me. I'm here to connect with people who are under 18 since their parents won't let them watch my films. Also I can relive my childhood days when there were no launch platforms for people like me and even less opportunities. This show, on which I am a judge, helps me connect to the masses.” Just as you wonderif she doesn't a bit like the local politician, Sherawat adds, “Look I'm not in competition with anyone. I do my own number, wear what I like and act in movies of my choice. I also think it's the perfect time to be on TV.”
Celebrating Mumbai
It's an unusual choice to debut with, especially if you are the wife of an actor who is one of Bollywood's best known names. But then Kiran Rao has never been part of that image. With the release of her first mainstream film, “Dhobi Ghat”, Rao has debunked the notion that she would follow trends. “For me, this film is about the essence of the city; what is worth preserving and celebrating. I wanted to show how the various worlds of the migrants in Mumbai co-exist and are interdependent,” she said she. She added that everybody in the city was an outsider. Rao feels that the city is a place where relationships can develop even though they may be short lived. “I wanted my film to be like life. In life there are no plots; there are incidents and moments that assume importance. That is what I wanted to do with the film.”
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