Celina Jaitley defends <i>Red</i>

Celina Jaitley is angry. Actually, very angry. Her most challenging assignment till date, Red, is ready for release but some unscrupulous sources are trying to (wrongly) slot the film as a sleaze ball affair.

Venting her anger out on such false claims and stating Red as an emotional journey that she along with Aftab, Amrita Arora and director Vikram Bhatt shared, she gets into a freewheeling conversation with Joginder Tuteja.

Celina, what is Red?
An interesting way to start a conversation [laughs]! Ok, then let me try to give you a good idea about what Red stands for. See, every human emotion has a dark side to it. That could be something to do with being happy or being in love - just about everything has a dark side to it. For example, you could be happy, but that could be either due to a right or a wrong reason. And to sum it up, if an emotion like this has to be put in color, it would be nothing but RED!

Was it identifying with the colour factor that made you lap up to Vikram Bhatt's offer of Red?
I was in fact shocked when I heard the subject of Red. It was so intense and I was overwhelmed by the fact that a director like Vikram actually considered me for a serious role like this. All this while I have been considered as a young glamorous actor without being really taken seriously. But full credit to Vikram that he found that woman in me whom he wanted to portray in his story. He is such a well balanced individual with a great mind which shows...

So how has Red eventually turned out to be?
It has been an emotional journey for all us, be it Vikram, me, Aftab or Ammu [Amrita Arora]. Each of us has been so emotionally involved with the film that we were driven in a big way by the way the characters are conceptualised and brought to the screen. Personally too I was going through a sad phase in my life and that made me understand the depth of my character very well.

And how about the storyline itself?
I would state it this way - While the storyline is quite modern, the film is a little backwards in regards to emotions. And no, don't ask me how that is because that's something you would understand better when you watch the events unfolding in front of you.

Any genre that you would want to classify Red into? Seems like it is a thriller
No, it is not a thriller of any kind. It is just that Vikram Bhatt has been associated with thrillers for so long that people expect that kind of treatment even in a film like this. More than being a thriller, Red actually belongs to French noir genre, something that has never been attempted in Indian cinema.

Promotional music videos of 'Aafreen' and 'Aameen' are giving an interesting touch to the film too.
Let me clarify on that too before people jump into any kind of conclusion about Red by watching these videos. Believe me, these videos have nothing to do with the actual story of film, and let me repeat it, "nothing at all"! They are solely for the promotional purpose and that's about it. The film in itself has a serious storyline to it and isn't titillating or sleazy as some journalists are choosing to tag Red as after watching these videos.

Really? I thought the videos have been classily shot!
But then someone out there chooses to think otherwise! This journalist speaks to me about the film and even has an audacity to ask me if there was an orgy angle to Red. Now how much more can someone's imagination run amok!

It really sounds strange...
I know, it really is! I mean here we are a bunch of people who have worked so hard in the film and someone stands up and says that just because there is a one-off promotional shot featuring me, Aftab and Ammu in a bath tub full of rose petals, we are in an orgy. Now how much sick can it actually get?

You sound angry.
I actually am since I take this as an insult to me and my entire team. You just can't come and insult an emotion that is as divine as love. And what orgy are you talking about. Let aside orgy, why is there such a big deal made about lovemaking too? Why use it in a derogatory sense? Lovemaking is something that is so natural in a beautiful relationship that a man and a woman share, so why demean it? Don't animals make love? And how did an entire evolution happen over millions of years? And guys, have you completely forgotten Charles Darwin theory? I could just go on about all of this!

So go on.
Here I have just one thing to say to conclude up matters and that is, "PLEASE GROW UP GUYS! Grow up beyond small little things like a kiss or a smooch or snuggling". For heavens sake, today a kid knows what lovemaking is all about. Students are being taught about this in school. People of my age are probably in their 3rd year of college today and everyone is mature enough to understand what is right and what is not when it comes to being physical in a relationship. Different people may have different ways to look objectively at it but then we don't go ahead and commercialise love!

So what is it that keeps you going?
An attitude of a commando. And this is something that I have inherited from my father and learnt from my brother, both of whom have been commandos themselves. What I have learnt is that in adverse situations like these, just close your eyes and try to make as rational decisions as possible without bothering about how the rest of the world perceives you. Anyways you can't make everyone happy and hence the best way out is to carry on, not turn insane and learn from your mistakes.

And have you been able to really do that over the years?
Yes, I have. Actually incidents in my life have helped me grow beyond my years. I could even say that I am say, 20 years ahead of what I should be at the moment.

So what should I look forward to while watching Red?
Just don't be judgmental about the film and the actors! Look at it as a story and take it as introspective or entertaining based on what you feel is right! See, it is an individual choice and while you are watching the film, you would realize that there is some trait or another about one or more characters that you would relate with your life. We all have a Red in us, so let's not shy away from acknowledging that fact!