"I am directly classified as the heroine"
30 seconds into a chat with Neetu Chandra and you can't miss the fact that she is terribly excited about her just-released film Traffic Signal. After having enjoyed the best of both worlds by debuting in a glam role with Priyadarshan's Garam Masala and doing a volte-face with Madhur Bhandarkar's Traffic Signal, she is happy to have explored both ends of the Bollywood world.
And now she wants more...a lot more! Taking out time from her late night shoot for a magazine cover, she tells Joginder Tuteja about what the success of Traffic Signal means to her and how she sees her future in Bollywood as an actor who can demonstrate her prowess with Taekwondo and Kathak with the same ease.
So,
what's
happening?
As
you
can
see,
currently
I
am
shooting
for
the
cover
of
this
magazine
for
its
upcoming
issue.
It
has
been
a
hectic
week
for
me.
|
I enjoy my work and I would prefer to keep myself busy rather than just sitting back and enjoying my success. Yes, I did have a great time when the film released and for the first few days I was completely into promoting the film and looking at reactions from the audience and critics. Now it's about a fortnight since the release and it would be best for me to move on and continue doing good work rather.
You
mentioned
two
things
-
reactions
from
the
film
and
the
good
work
ahead.
Let's
start
with
the
former.
I
don't
want
to
sound
modest
but
it's
a
fact
that
since
the
release
of
Traffic
Signal,
all
that
I
have
heard
is
positive
response
to
my
act
in
the
film.
Reputed
critics
have
mentioned
flattering
things
about
me
in
print
that
certainly
makes
me
happy
as
I
have
just
been
2-film
old.
Further
appreciation
coming
from
the
audience
is
an
icing
on
the
cake
as
you
feel
good
to
be
accepted
in
two
different
roles
[Garam
Masala,
Traffic
Signal]
that
are
on
extremes
of
a
spectrum.
But
there
have
been
complains
that
there
is
too
less
of
you
in
the
film
in
spite
of
being
the
leading
heroine.
First
of
all,
let
me
say
it
once
again
that
since
the
inception
of
the
project
it
was
clear
that
Traffic
Signal
was
an
ensemble
film
and
except
for
Kunal
Khemu
who
plays
a
central
role,
all
others
would
have
a
varied
length
of
role.
Coming
to
me
being
seen
very
little,
I
believe
that
it
is
clearly
a
perception
issue.
And
why
is
that?
Because
though
my
character
is
introduced
towards
the
middle
of
the
first
half,
from
that
moment
on
I
am
throughout
in
the
film.
If
you
notice
in
the
second
half,
I
am
there
throughout
in
majority
of
frames
and
it's
just
that
since
I
don't
have
many
dialogues
in
the
film
due
to
my
characterization,
some
of
you
feel
that
I
am
not
there.
But
did
the
lack
of
dialogues
bother
you?
Why
should
that
be?
Madhur
sir
knows
what
he
is
doing
and
for
a
character
played
by
me
who
is
uneducated
and
comes
from
a
small
town
to
Mumbai
to
make
a
living,
it
made
sense
for
a
silent
portrayal.
I
think
it
came
out
beautifully
well
and
the
subtle
nuances
in
the
character
were
noticed
by
many
in
the
business.
I
am
quite
content
in
the
end.
Many
feel
Konkana
had
a
meaty
role
in
the
film?
Fair
enough;
and
she
did
it
well
too.
Though
she
was
mainly
in
a
cameo.
But
then
I
don't
consider
my
role
to
be
any
lesser.
Also,
at
the
end
of
the
day,
the
girl
who
is
with
the
leading
hero
is
a
heroine
and
since
Kunal
is
the
hero,
I
am
directly
classified
as
the
heroine
(laughs)!
You
seem
happy..
And
why
not?
After
all
starting
your
career
from
a
3
heroine
masala-entertainer
film
and
then
playing
a
lead
role
in
a
thoughtful
project
is
no
mean
achievement.
If
this
is
what
I
have
managed
to
accomplish
within
2
years
of
being
in
the
industry,
I
am
sure
of
a
fruitful
innings
in
the
future.
So
what
is
in
future
that
excites
you?
A
glam
doll
role
or
another
middle-of-the-road
offbeat
cinema?
Anything
and
everything.
There
were
6
offers
that
have
come
to
me
from
reputed
production
houses
within
a
week
of
release
of
Traffic
Signal
which
is
only
a
positive
sign.
The
good
part
is
that
since
I
cannot
be
slotted
after
the
kind
of
films
I
have
done,
film
makers
think
of
me
with
a
clean
state
of
mind
and
hence
approach
me
with
variety
of
roles.
Have
you
closed
on
any
of
the
offers?
I
should
be
taking
some
decisions
in
days
to
come.
See,
my
selection
criteria
for
a
role
is
I
should
be
non-Neetu
on
screen.
The
role
should
of
the
kind
that
allows
me
to
play
someone
who
is
not
the
real
Neetu
by
any
means.
I
love
doing
things
in
front
of
camera
that
I
haven't
done
in
real
life
and
that's
the
excitement
of
challenge
in
being
in
the
film
world.
How
about
dancing
around
the
woods?
Why
not?
There
is
lot
of
fun
in
that.
I
am
a
trained
Kathak
dancer
and
hence
can
be
extremely
competent
when
it
comes
to
song
and
dance
routine.
Is
someone
out
there
thinking
of
kicking
stuff
for
an
action
film?
Then
consider
me
there
too
since
I
am
proficient
at
Taekwondo
too!
And
what
if
a
corporate
house
comes
and
wants
to
sign
you
for
say,
a
3
film
deal?
I
am
game
for
it.
That's
the
way
things
have
been
working
so
very
well
and
I
don't
see
it
as
any
kind
of
binding
on
me
as
an
actor,
contrary
to
what
some
other
people
in
the
industry
may
feel.
Tomorrow
if
UTV
wants
to
sign
me
on
for
a
3-film
deal
and
I
have
4th
film
in
hand
with
Priyadarshan
and
5th
with
Madhur,
why
won't
I
be
elated?
Meanwhile
what's
happening
to
the
film
you
signed
a
few
months
back
-
Homeland?
We
are
still
waiting
for
the
shoot
to
begin
since
the
scripting
of
the
film
is
in
progress.
But
don't
imagine
that
I
would
be
out
of
sight,
OK!?
I
would
be
on
the
telly
by
the
end
of
this
month
since
my
music
video
for
Ismail
Darbar's
non-film
album
would
be
out.
I
don
a
very
ethnic
Indian
look
in
the
video
that
you
should
definitely
watch!