Preeti Jhangiani on her career

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

New Delhi (UNI): Six years ago, this beautiful girl with a sweet smile endeared herself to cinegoers with the simplicity of her portrayal of the shy girl next door in Aditya Chopra's Mohabbattein. Despite a dream debut which saw her share screen space with Superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, Preeti Jhangiani, even six years after the film, has still to establish a niche for herself on the Bollywood firmament while her Mohabbattein co-star Jimmy Shergill is today a known face in filmdom.

''It was not that I had disappeared after Mohabbattein. After Mohabbattein I signed no less than 10 films some of them big banner films like Awara Paagal Deewana and LoC-Line of Control. Call it my wrong choice of movies or sheer bad luck but many of these didn't do well,'' Preeti told UNI here. Infact, Preeti's recent films like Chaahat-Ek Nasha and Sukh failed to set the box office on fire.

Her films in the last few years may not have established her as an actor to reckon with in Bollywood but they have nevertheless contributed to Preeti's growth as an actress. ''When I did my first role in Mohabbattein, I was a shy newcomer. But now, having done more than ten films and assaying a variety of roles, I am more confident as an actor,''Preeti said. Currently, Preeti is all excited about her latest film Chand Ke Paar Chalo , produced by Salim (who earlier made the Rani Mukherjee-starrer Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat) where she is paired opposite newcomer Sahib.

''For the first time in my career, I am doing an author-backed role of a woman who undergoes a transformation from a street dancer to a Bollywood actress. It is the story of her journey from being a small Banjaran, who earns her living through dancing in the street, to a 'glamorous star' in the glitzy world of Bollywood. In this sense, it is quite unlike a multistarrer like Awara Paagal Diwana where one tends to get lost in a crowd. Also, while many of my earlier films had me in 'soft' roles, in Chand Ke Paar Chalo, I play a woman with shades of grey,'' she said.

When pointed out that after making her debut in Mohabbattein and starring in big banner films like Awara Paagal Diwana, doing a film like Chand Ke Paar Chalo was a sort of a comedown, Preeti said,''I made my debut with Yashraj Films which today is the biggest banner that actors aspire to be associated with. Naturally whatever banners I do films will invariably not be as big a production house as Yashraj. However, what was important for me while taking up the film was that it was a good role and provided me enough scope as an actor.'' As an actor, Preeti says, her endeavour is to first and foremost, do a good role and a good film.

''While signing a film, my first consideration is to consider the script which I think is the backbone of a film. Then I look at the banner and director. For the film to be successful, it is very important that the director has enough conviction in it,''the actor said.

On whether, she felt left out in a scenario where indulging in 'skin exposure' was the 'in thing' among the new crop of Bollywood actresses, Preeti said,''first of all it's a myth that if you expose, a film will sell. For, a film runs if it has a strong storyline and not just because it boasts of skin exposure. As for myself, if my role in a film requires me to look glamorous, I am willing to play a glamour girl. At the same time, I wish to state that I will never cross certain limits of vulgarity.'' Among her forthcoming films is an Indo-British production being directed by pop singer Bally Sagoo who also plays the male lead.

Then there is With love Tumhara opposite Pravin Dabas, a shooting schedule for which was recently completed in Manali.