Wednesday,
November
14,
2007
Soha
Ali
Khan
has
no
qualms
in
admitting
that
her
role
in
Sudhir
Mishra's
Khoya
Khoya
Chand
is,
by
far,
the
most
challenging
role
in
her
career
till
date,
ever
since
she
debuted
in
'Dil
Maange
More'.
Sitting
in
Prakash
Jha's
modest
office,
Soha
confesses
that
it
is
the
first
time
she
has
been
able
to
get
her
hands
on
a
role
of
a
glamorous
woman.
"As
an
actor,
I
had
so
much
to
do
in
the
film,
especially
because
I
play
an
actor
in
the
film.
The
movie
is
based
on
a
yesteryear
actor," she
adds.
Shyam
Benegal's
'Bhumika'
had
Smita
Patil
playing
a
yesteryear
actor,
too,
and
Soha
watched
the
movie
very
closely,
to
understand
her
character.
Soha
plays
Nikhat,
an
actor,
who
is
in
a
relationship
with
a
writer,
played
by
Shiney
Ahuja.
To
get
into
the
skin
of
her
character,
Soha
took
up
Kathak
lessons
from
Nandita
Puri.
She
also
learnt
horse-riding
and
sword-fighting,
to
prepare
for
the
action
sequences.
"Nikhat
is
a
complex
character,
who
is
far
more
mature
than
I
am.
I
come
from
a
very
protective
family.
Sudhir
told
me
to
adopt
a
bit
of
method
acting
to
suit
the
character,
since
it
was
the
in
thing
those
days," recalls
Soha.
She
also
listened
to
a
lot
of
music
from
the
period.
Jyoti
Dev
went
out
of
the
way
to
teach
her
the
Urdu
songs
from
films
like
'Sahib
Bibi
Aur
Ghulam',
and
others
which
starred
Vyjayanthimala,
Waheeda
Rehman
and
Meena
Kumari.
These
are
the
actors
that
have
influenced
the
way
Soha
portrays
her
character,
although
she
stresses
that
she
is
not
portraying
any
one
particular
star
of
the
time.
Working
with
Sudhir
Mishra
at
such
an
early
stage
in
her
career
is
an
experience
by
itself.
"Sudhir
Mishra
etches
his
women
characters
very
well.
I
was
not
only
happy,
but
also
surprised
because
he
had
a
lot
of
trust
and
confidence
in
me,
and
my
capacity
as
an
actor.
It
was
a
fantastic
experience
working
with
a
director
like
him,"
she
gushes.
Her
role
as
Sonia,
in
'Rang
De
Basanti',
got
her
many
accolades.
The
film
was
a
turning
point
in
her
career.
"'Rang
De
Basanti' was
an
important
film
to
be
a
part
of.
It
was
truly
an
ensemble
cast,
and
I
liked
the
character
of
Sonia,"
she
says.
She
is
now
looking
forward
to
yet
another
offbeat
film,
'Chauraheen'.
The
movie
deals
with
three
different
stories,
each
dealing
with
a
different
city.
Soha
plays
a
lively,
energetic,
and
intellectual
person,
who
lives
for
the
moment,
and
is
not
philosophical.
"She
is
almost
like
me
in
many
ways,
though
I
am
practical.
As
an
actor,
I
am
not
in
favour
of
exploitation,
whether
emotionally
or
physically.
I
have
done
progressive
roes
in
films
like
'Ahista
Ahista',
'Antar
Mahal'
and
Khoya
Khoya
Chand
and
aspire
to
carve
my
own
niche.
I
am
glad
I
have
had
great
opportunities
working
with
directors
like
Rituparno
Ghosh
and
Rakeysh
Om
Prakash
Mehra
in
their
films
like
'Antar
Mahal'
and
'Rang
De
Basanti'
respectively,"
she
asserts.
There
is
another
film,
with
Sudhir
Mishra,
in
the
pipeline,
much
to
her
delight.
There
is
yet
another
one
with
UTV,
directed
by
Nishikant
Kamat,
who
directed
'Dombivali
Fast'.
"When
it
comes
to
making
decisions,
I
do
it
on
my
own
steam,
though
I
concede
that
I
do
listen
to
advice
from
both
my
mother
and
brother
since
they
know
the
industry
in
and
out.
I
am
very
much
the
same
because
I
am
grounded.
I
do
not
let
fame
affect
me
in
any
way
because
I
do
not
take
myself
seriously.
Life
is
short
and
hence
I
want
to
have
fun.
However,
at
the
same
time
I
also
want
to
be
remembered
as
a
good
actor
like
my
mother
and
brother.
I
know
that
the
camera
records
you
for
life," Soha
concludes.