Bips: Race against heroes not heroines

The sexiest lady in Asia, Bipasha Basu, is famed for getting framed as 'sex bomb' in many of her films. But her character in Race has set a new milestone in her career in which she is portraying a model, who has the confidence to win any heart with her graceful beauty.

Q.: What's the secret behind your beautiful hairstyle?
A.: Oh, actually I get bored with my same look all the time. In my school I had many friends who had small hairs tucked under beautiful hair-bands. But I couldn't keep my hairs short as my mother was completely against that style. And despite my wish I had to keep two ponytails. I am having fun avenging those days now and my mother cannot do anything apart from screaming at me.

Q.: Your character in Race is shaded little grey. What do you think?
A.: The truth is that all the characters in this film have little grayish tone. Actually the film is about the race between two brothers who are competing against each other. They face lot of problems. I am playing a model who believes that she can play with any character just because of her beauty. She loves one of those brothers, but circumstances make her fall with the other brother. The screenplay of this film is so beautifully tricked that till the end, no one can understand what all the characters need. There is a murder in the middle of the film where Anil Kapoor and Sameera Reddy are introduced as detectives to interrogate the murder.

Q.: How was the experience of working with other heroines?
A.: I don't know why I am asked the same question every time. Let me tell you that my race is not against the heroines, but the heroes. Audience has been praising my characters in all my multi-starrer films even if I have had very little screen presence. I always try to act at my level best. And I am happy that all my co-stars, including heroes, also work very hard. Until and unless all the characters in a film are portrayed equally good, the film will never work.

Q.: You mean you didn't have a fight with any heroine?
A.: Please, at least you stop talking like that. Heroes create more problems than heroines. It's actually our problem that we always support heroes. We always try to find out problems with ladies even if the problem is with guys. I am proud that I am not like others who defame their own strata. I always like to support women. As far as Katrina and Sameera are concerned, you won't believe that we go together everywhere.

Q.: You worked with Abbas Mustan when you were fresh and you are working with them again when you are well-famed. Do you feel any difference in their approach?
A.: Not at all. They still love me the same as they used to when I was new in the industry. They treat me as a child as because I started my career with them. They love me not because of my being a good actress, but because I am a good human being. As far as their changes are concerned, I would like to say that they are now much improved than ever before. They are still like teachers of old acting school. At the same time the subjects they dealt with are really praiseworthy. I think they are the best thriller directors in India.

Q.: What's the reason of working in less number of films? Do you want to stabilize your job portal?
A.: There is nothing like bad or good in it. I like them all, but it's is not necessary that people to like them. I don't feel to work everyday. I worked everyday during the first three years of my career. As a result I couldn't have time for my family and became sick. I couldn't balance my days properly. But after that I spent my time very well. During all those years, I learnt a lot and have become quite matured.

Q.: What did you think before accepting your negative character in Ajnabi as well as in Race?
A.: People thought I had gone crazy as I took the negative character in Ajnabi. That time I was really bored with my modelling and wanted a change. Ajnabi offered me the character which was considered as really bold in Bollywood. People think that taking up a negative character at the beginning of a career is like committing suicide. But I didn't have any idea of becoming a heroine in this industry. So I took it for a change only. But looking at audience going gaga over my character and having "Raaz" as a hit, I gave the matter a second thought. Now I guess in real life I am not basically negative and thus I feel attracted towards those kind of characters. Accepting Jism had the same reason. I always take it as a challenge.

Q.: How is it possible for you to act like something which you don't feel?
A.: All the credit goes to the directors. And the actor hidden in me also deserves the same. I never wanted to become an actor. But entering the zone, I felt that there is something that drives me to do better all the time. Today I see people entering the industry with all possible training for acting. But I think actors cannot be made. We all have better actors inside and all we have to do is to get that actor out at the right time.

Q.: You attained a sexy image after Jism. Are you trying to break away from that image with films like Corporate, "Apharan" and the very recent Pankh?
A.: First thing first, I attained my sexy image since Ajnabi. And I never tried to change that image. Actually I like to portray different characters and when I get the chance, I never want to let it go.

Q.: You always have portrayed self-confident ladies very well. Do you choose characters or characters choose you?
A.: There is nothing like that. I have done several worthless films, too. And there you won't find me self-confident from any possible angle. You may recap films like "Barsaat" and "Humko Diwana Kar Gaye" which you can count in that list. And I guess now you can understand that I also attempt blunders.

Q.: What would like to say about "Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal"?
A.: I like the movie. At the same time I like my character in the movie, too. Even film critics also believe that my character in "Goal" is totally different from my previous characters. So, I can be proud of that film.

Q.: Is it true that you have restrained yourself from item numbers after Billo Rani?
A.: Firstly, somebody please help me understand what an item number is. There was a time when people considered looking sexy as doing something heinous. But now people like when being called sexy. In the same way, item number also was something derogative in the beginning, but today's scenario is completely changed after getting a touch of King Khan. And I have never thought of going away from item numbers. If some good banners offer me chances to tap toes on some good music, then I don't have any problem filming myself in it.

Q.: What would you like to say about the making of Raaz 2?
A.: It's now been for last one year that the film is under preparation and every now and then, I am asked the same question. I cannot say yes or no on it as I don't have any offer from the makers. I guess Mukesh Bhatt will be a better person to talk about that.

Q.: Please tell us about Raza Mallal's film Quick Sip A Bride.
A.: I still don't know much about the project. But I will surely know about that very soon. For the time being I can tell you it's a British Production House movie and they will release the film worldwide.

Q.: What about your Bengali film?
A.: It's Rituparno Ghosh's upcoming film "Sab Charitra Kalponik". We have completed shooting. It's the story of a woman who is Bengali but has no connection to Bengali literature as she is born and brought up in London. Co-incidentally, she gets married to a Bengali poet. She faces many problems as the language is absolutely new to her. Later on her husband dies and she slowly gets interested in Bengali literature.

Q.: Please tell us about your forthcoming films including Mister Fraud and Pankh.
A.: I feel bad thinking about "Mister Fraud". It's a good movie but it's still not getting released. It's not slapstick but rather a situational comedy. This is the first comedy which I enjoyed working on. I guess Ajay Devgan and Sanjay Dutt will help completing the film. Pankh is an arty by Sanjay Gupta. I am playing an alter ego of a boy who becomes an actor with my inspiration. My character in the film is imaginative. Apart from them I am acting in a Yash Raj film with Ranbir Kapoor. It's a romantic comedy directed by Siddharth Anand.