"Short Kut is going to be the best laughter attack" - Amrita Rao
The first time the world took notice of Amrita Rao; she was wearing heels and romancing Shahid Kapoor in Ishq Vishq. The second time we saw her, we were in for a shock. Her over the top and yet underplaying the character in Main Hoon Na stood out from the cliche roles Bollywood actresses were being offered. The third time someone took notice of her, she seduced everyone, especially the renowned painter M.F.Hussain. He proclaimed Amrita his muse on canvas. The film was Vivaah.
Since that moment three years ago, Rao has become known as a maverick in a way that has generally only been applied to directors. She is more maverick than muse, making personal and unpredictable choices, and taking charge of them without throwing her weight around in the manner of an actor-turned-producer. Anil Kapoor came as an exception. He was mesmerised by Rao's role in Vivah and cast her in his second outing as a producer, Short Kut – The Con Is On. Amrita loves challenges and she accepts it when I met her (not for a 'date' this time) at her producers' office in Juhu last week.
The actress is always casually but fabulously dressed, and invariably assumes a kittenish position with her legs tucked beneath her, a modern princess on her throne. She is extraordinary looking with a hint of Uma Thurman's queenly bone structure, her kittenish eyes with a melancholy downward slant in a sweet, heart-shaped face. She sits directly opposite me, her feet planted firmly on the floor and her role planted firmly in Short Kut. She asks for a glass of water and coolly, in a tone that brooks no argument, says, "I'm late... so let's start."
When
was
the
last
time
you
were
conned
by
someone?
I
think
the
last
time
I
was
conned
by
someone
was
Anil
Kapoor
to
sign
Short
Kut
(laughs).
Anil
Kapoor
said,
"I
see
a
bit
of
Madhuri
Dixit
in
Amrita",
when
asked
about
your
casting.
I
think
to
have
your
own
individuality
is
always
better.
But
to
be
compared
with
somebody
who
is
better
than
the
best
is
also
not
such
a
bad
idea
(laughs).
Of
course,
it
is
a
good
compliment
and
I
accept
it.
Thank
you
Anil.
Your
slim
trim
look
in
the
film
is
much
talked
about.
But
it
ain't
a
make
over,
is
it?
You're
right.
I
wouldn't
call
it
a
makeover.
A
makeover
is
for
an
aunty
who
is
dragged
from
her
kitchen
and
given
a
lifestyle
which
was
never
a
part
of
her
world
or
personality.
As
an
actress,
for
me,
versatility
is
something
that
should
come
along
with
being
an
artist
or
an
actor,
and
the
opportunity
you
get
makes
all
the
difference
in
how
you
are
presented
in
front
of
your
audience.
I'm
glad
I
was
not
typecast
yet
another
time
by
an
industry
which
is
otherwise
prejudiced.
I'm
sure
you
must've
got
innumerable
text
messages
for
the
same?
Yes.
Honestly,
you
do
certain
kind
of
a
film
and
you're
a
hit
among
the
crowd.
Not
for
all
your
films
you
get
text
messages
complimenting
your
look,
where
everybody
is
talking
about
your
physical
appearance.
Short
Kut
is
doing
just
that.
I'm
getting
seven
to
ten
text
messages
daily
from
random
people
from
all
walks
of
life.
Somebody
from
advertising,
some
trainer
from
the
gym,
etc.
I
think
people
need
to
thank
Manish
Malhotra
for
making
me
look
sexy.
There
was
a
lot
said
and
seen
that
the
entire
cast
of
Short
Kut
was
never
seen
together
promoting
their
film.
Can't
you
see
that
none
of
the
cast
are
promoting
the
film
together?
I
mean,
you
are
interviewing
me
alone.
There
is
no
sign
of
Arshad
or
Akshaye
(laughs).
I
was
just
supposed
to
be
funny.
But
in
the
film,
both
of
them
are
logger
headed.
Both
are
very
good
actors
and
I
don't
think
that
any
of
them
took
their
characters
so
seriously
that
they
extended
the
emotions
off
screen.
We
were
promoting
the
film
together
in
Macau
and
that
was
great.
You've
danced
with
Sanjay
Dutt
and
Anil
Kapoor
in
'Mareez-E-Mohabbat'.
Both
can't
dance
saala?
(Laughs).
Both
of
them
aren't
exceptionally
great
dancers,
let's
get
this
right.
But
they
are
great
performers
and
entertainers.
Both
Sanju
and
Anil
have
a
great
screen
presence
and
are
like
chalk
and
cheese.
Both
have
different
styles
of
working.
Anil
is
somebody
who
gets
very
anxious
and
hyper
about
rehearsing
the
steps
twenty
times
before
he
hits
the
deck.
Whereas,
Sanju
is
just
sitting
quietly
and
observing
the
step
carefully.
Then
comes
and
gets
it
right.
Both
of
them
get
it
right
but
their
approach
is
miles
apart.
Did
you
go
through
some
physical
stress
while
going
into
the
skin
of
slimming?
(Laughs)
It
was
not
at
all
difficult.
In
fact,
I
was
looking
forward
to
it.
I
knew
I
could
do
it
and
I
have
always
seen
myself
as
that
girl
from
Short
Kut.
For
an
actor,
anything
that
is
going
to
be
a
little
drastic
in
terms
of
styling
and
characterisation
is
always
accepted.
It
wasn't
mentally
stressful,
but
physically,
it
did
take
a
lot
of
skin
off
me
(laughs).
Anil
Kapoor...
the
traits
of
your
new
producer?
Anil
was
completely
wearing
the
producer's
hat
when
he
was
on
the
sets
as
a
producer.
That
time
he
wasn't
the
actor
Anil
Kapoor.
He
would
go
to
each
spot
boy,
each
make
up
artist
and
check
whether
they
are
happy
staying
where
they
are
put
up.
He
would
go
and
check
on
the
food,
then
come
and
meet
me,
pep
me
up
for
a
shot,
etc.
Anilji
is
exceptional
when
it
comes
to
giving
pep
talks
to
the
other
actors.
Otherwise,
in
the
industry,
everybody
is
downsizing
everybody.
But
when
someone
like
Anil
Kapoor
charges
you
as
a
performer,
you
really
look
forward
in
spending
more
time
in
their
company.
How
strong
and
sound
is
Mansi's
character
compared
to
the
other
roles
you've
played
in
different
films?
Mansi
comes
from
a
family
background
where
she
had
a
lot
of
pressures
from
home.
Family
members
influencing
her
professional
choices,
telling
her
what
films
to
sign,
for
reasons
other
than
creative
satisfaction.
In
that
sense,
she
was
a
part
of
the
family
with
whom
she
could
not
relate
to.
At
the
same
time
she
wasn't
subservient.
She
had
a
mind
of
her
own
and
stood
her
own
grounds.
She
went
against
the
family
when
needed.
I
really
like
these
strong
woman
roles.
I've
never
played
a
role
like
in
Short
Kut.
It's
super
strong.
Amrita
Rao
is
the
new
rage?
You
can
say
so.
It's
great
that
I'm
the
new
rage
of
tinsel
town.
I'm
also
not
saying
that
this
hasn't
happened
to
me
before
because
I
remember
the
perm
hair
I
did
for
Ishq
Vishq
had
become
such
a
big
rage.
Every
girl
went
and
permed
her
hair
after
seeing
the
film.
In
Main
Hoon
Na,
the
nose
ring
became
such
a
rage.
Every
girl
wanted
to
have
the
grunge
look.
Thanks
to
my
directors
who
think
out
of
the
box
and
look
at
actors
unconventionally.
Anil
Kapoor
as
a
matter
of
fact,
as
a
producer,
has
this
vision
of
not
to
type
cast
his
actors.
What's
going
to
be
the
fate
of
Short
Kut?
New
York
was
a
serious
film.
Kambakkht
Ishq
was
an
out
and
out
masala
movie.
Short
Kut
is
going
to
be
the
best
laughter
attack
this
July.
I
really
want
all
the
films
to
do
well
because
I
belong
to
this
industry.
That's
the
only
way
how
we
will
survive
after
the
depression.
I
would
not
want
to
'Kut'
on
other
films
(laughs).
Did
Akshaye
come
across
as
vulnerable?
No.
He
came
across
as
unpredictable.
He
is
somebody
who
surprises
you
all
the
time.
But
when
it
comes
to
acting,
he
surpasses
most
actors
who
are
so
called
'superstars'.
Arshad
and
Akshaye
are
two
actors
who
haven't
been
tapped
properly
by
many
producer
directors...
I
agree.
Somewhere
the
industry
doesn't
want
to
take
risks.
Somewhere
the
industry
has
decided
what
the
audience
wants
and
what
they
will
accept.
Akshaye
would've
only
been
known
as
a
serious
actor
had
films
like
Hungama
and
Salaam-E-Ishq
not
come
his
way.
Arshad
is
super
talented.
He
will
remain
'Circuit'
all
his
life.
Give
Arshad
a
hard
core
serious
performance
and
I'm
sure
he
will
do
a
brilliant
job.
I,
as
an
audience
would
love
to
see
that.
There
is
no
short
cut
to
success.
You
believe
in
it?
I
don't
completely
believe.
You
also
need
to
know
when
and
how
to
take
a
short
cut.
By
the
way,
short
cut
is
the
new
life
to
be
super
successful.