Tisca Chopra opens up on her future projects

Mumbai, (PTI): Not getting to play lead roles in commercial masala movies does not bother actress Tisca Chopra, who says such projects are not her priority. The 37-year-old Tisca wonders what is the use of technically being a female lead, when you have nothing to do with acting in a movie.

"I am not sure if lead roles in commercial masala movies are my priority. Positioning and billing is not so relevant for me," she told PTI. "How was I not the lead in Taare Zameen Par or the recent Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (DTBHJ) and my upcoming movie Love, Breakups, Zindagi?," she shot back.

Tisca said after playing the mother of Darsheel Safary in Taare Zameen Par, she did not have any hesitation to don the role of a seductress in DTBHJ. “The baggage of Taare Zameen Par was felt by others not me. I would like the slot if any, of being unslottable. You don't know what may come up next and that is what I like," she said.

Tisca said her role in DTBHJ was meant to be a surprise element and hence she was not seen promoting the film. “After Taare Zameen Par, it was felt my role in Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji was completely different and hence I was not part of the promotions. The makers felt it should be a surprise. It really came as a surprise and not as a shock," she said.

"I got applause for breaking the mould in DTBHJ. Not many people are able to do so. Guys like Saif Ali Khan get to do Omkara, Being Cyrus and also Love Aaj Kal. However, girls get little chance of not being slotted," she felt.

Tisca, who is practising Buddhist, said that she consciously tries not to get involved in praise or criticism. "By paying attention to it, you are at the mercy of other people and their opinions," she said.

On her upcoming movie Love, Breakups, Zindagi, produced by Dia Mirza and Zayed Khan, which goes on floors this month, Tisca said that the film deals with life and love affairs in the present times, which are different from what they were about five to seven years ago.

"Young people spend a lot of time and energy on relationships because they are not that simple as they used to be. Society parameters are also changing since women are coming into their own power-centre. Hence, Love, Breakups, Zindagi becomes very important in today's context," she said. Either work or relationships take up most of our time and that's what the film explores, she added.

Among her movies ready for release, Tisca said 404, a psychological thriller, 10ml love and a Punjabi movie Khushiyan will hit the screens in the next few months. "As of now, I am taking it a bit easy looking for something different than my previous roles. Currently, I am also doing an English play 'Dinner with Friends'," she said.

The actress said both she and her pilot husband Sanjay were creative people. "He paints and I write. There is so much of creativity in my house space and my husband is very clear and astute about what worked and did not work for him about my films," she said. She added that her book is a non-fiction on acting.