Entertainment - Q&A Asin;Ghajini Fame

Hiren Kotwani

Bets are on. Can she knock Katrina Kaif and her ilk out of the top heroine race? We should know soon with the upcoming release of Ghajini. Till then, Asin sails smoothly through an interview with Hiren Kotwani. Or at least tries to.. read on

Is there a feeling of done-that-before while acting in a remake?
Not at all, there was a completely different team and set-up. Some changes have been made to appeal to a wider audience. In fact, I’d say it’s perfect for my first baby steps in Bollywood.

Did Aamir Khan ever prove to be overbearing? Or is that a silly question to ask?
(Supremely politically correct) It was a great pleasure to work with an experienced actor like him. He’s very passionate about his work.. simple and open to ideas.

His involvement in a project is believed to be another word for ‘interference’.

Seems a portion was reshot in Panchgani at his say so.
He’s a director’s actor. Of course, he does give his creative inputs but he was never imposing. He’s a flexible person. We didn’t reshoot any song or scene. A small part was shot.. to fill a gap and avoid an edit jump.

Talk is that Jiah Khan called Aamir Khan up when she learnt that he was editing her role. Aren’t you worried, too, about how your role will shape up?
I completely trust the film’s makers. I don’t know about such talks. I’ve no issues with anyone. I shared a great working relationship with Jiah, too. I’m completely secure about the role I’ve done and the person I am.

Only Aamir Khan was present for the ‘first look’ of Ghajini. Apparently, you had a talk with him since he has allowed you to interact with the media now.
I’m just following the marketing and the promotion campaign which has been thought out by a team which knows the pros and cons of a strategy. Now that the film is releasing, I have something to talk about. What could I have said earlier?

Although Jiah Khan was present at the Jaane Tu.. premiere, you weren’t. Was it Aamir Khan’s diktat to keep you under wraps till Ghajini was complete?
I wasn’t around in Bombay.. so I couldn’t attend the premiere. You’ll have to ask Aamir if he wanted to keep me under wraps.

Okay, Ghajini has been delayed for quite a while. First Aamir Khan suffered an injury, then he was busy promoting Taare Zameen Par and Jaane Tu.. Don’t you feel lousy about declining other projects in the interim?
(Cuts in) It was worth the wait, in every way. Two months early or a month late, the delay won’t affect the audience response which matters finally.

Kangana Ranaut and Ayesha Takia were considered for the other role. Considering they’re already established here, you must have felt relieved that eventually Jiah Khan, relatively speaking a newcomer, was finalised.
Even if it were Kangana or Ayesha, I wouldn’t have felt insecure at all. It doesn’t matter if it’s Jiah or anyone else. She’s doing her role, I’m doing mine. I’ve no issues with Jiah.

How did London Dreams come your way? Did you have to consult Aamir Khan before signing it?
While working for Ghajini, I got a call from the producers and Vipul Shah. After I met them, I wanted to do the project. I didn’t have to consult Aamir.. nor were there any contractual restrictions.

After working with Aamir Khan, how was it working with an unpredictable Salman Khan?
It was exciting working with another Khan, a professional like Ajay Devgan and a cool director like Vipul. I’m looking forward to the next schedule.

Salman Khan seems to have taken a liking for you. He gave you a gift on Onam and you gave him a present on Eid.
How I wish that was true! But there has been no exchange of gifts. We weren’t shooting on Onam, in fact we were travelling. On Eid, we were shooting. So, I got no gifts from Salman, neither did I gift him anything in return.

Salman Khan, it’s said, is helping you to buy an apartment in Mumbai.
I’ve been in Mumbai for more than a year now. I moved into my house in Lokhandwala in January this year. So why should anyone help me to find another home? What would I do with so many homes?

Can you tell me about your Walt Disney-produced movie?
It’s a multi-lingual project. 19 Steps is being directed by Bharat Bala, with Kamal Haasan and a Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano.

After Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, and ads with Saif Ali Khan and Zayed Khan, isn’t Shah Rukh Khan on your wish list?
It would be fabulous to work with Shah Rukh Khan if a project comes along.

Salman Khan appears to be the only guy you’ve been linked with. Apparently, Katrina Kaif is not too pleased with his growing friendship with you.
I find these reports funny. Those who spread such stories should become scriptwriters for a pukka Bollywood masala movie.