Chit-chat with Sayali Bhagat

Courtesy: IndiaFM
Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Just like every other Miss India pass out, Sayali Bhagat too chose to get into acting after winning the Miss India World pageant in 2004. Sayali will mark her Bollywood debut with The Train opposite Emraan Hashmi and of course with a kiss

The beautiful girl gets in conversation with us.

After winning Miss India title every winner moves on to Bollywood. Was it the same story with you?
After Miss India I started modeling. Before that I had no experience in modeling or acting as such. It was a new thing for me. Then I realized that I do have interest in modeling, performing and acting. There after I took up dancing classes. I went to an acting institute and then I thought that I am ready for Bollywood. That's how the word went around. But it wasn't there in my mind to become an actress. Later when my interest developed in this field, I took up this else I would have done my debut a year back.

How and when did you bag your first break?
Hasnain Hyderabadwala and Raksha Mistry were looking out for someone who qualifies as a modern and yet at the same time simple girl for this role. I heard the script and it came through. I did shoot for Main Rony Aur Jony before The Train but that film got stalled.

What went wrong with Main Rony Aur Jony?
It was supposed to be my first film. We shot for a few days for that film but suddenly the producer vanished. So what can an actress do in that situation? It was disheartening but everything happens for the best. Now The Train happens to be my debut film and I have no regrets for the past.

The general notion is that models can't act. Have you done any kind of training in acting to polish your talent?
Like I said when I decided to do something like this I trained myself. I joined Shaimak Davar's dancing institute. And for acting I went to Vidhur sir, he is a very renowned trainer and known for training a lot of big actors.

Tell us about your journey aboard The Train
Like I said my directors wanted a glamorous yet a simple girl and not a dumb sexy girl. They thought of me and narrated me the script. I was initially very scared because I felt it's an Emraan Hashmi film, but when I heard the role in detail I loved it. I had a chance to portray everything. I could be glamorous, simple and could show my acting and dancing talent as well.

The film is basically an emotional thriller. Emraan and I get married in the film but soon boredom sets into a relationship and the husband tries to stray off. It's about how this couple copes with the extramarital part. The film also has a suspense angle to it.

With Emraan Hashmi as the male lead it almost becomes apparent to expect a smooch in the film. Were you at the receiving end?
Yes I have one kissing scene with him. Emraan and I are shown as husband and wife in the film. There is intimacy between them in the beginning, after that boredom sets in their relationship which results into an extramarital affair. Somewhere it is important to show that in the past there used to be intimacy between them so the kiss was important. I am a person who wouldn't do something unless its justified, no matter how horribly clichd this sounds when I say that if there is any requirement only then I'll do it. It has been done in a very professional, classy and decent manner. It's not too jerky for the eyes. It pretty much gels with the film and I think that it is a brilliant job done by my director.

You sound quite charged up about this kissing scene...
It was quite scary at the beginning. I couldn't sleep all night and even in the morning when I went to the set I had the same thing in my mind. I went there and the shot happened and I asked my director that's it? I am done? I just scared myself more than the actual thing. Like I said it's done in a very professional manner and it came out very nicely. Emraan makes you feel very comfortable, relaxed and nice so it wasn't very scary. I knew he is a gentleman and everything was just fine in between us. Emraan is a gem as a person. Obviously he is very charming and one of the reasons for me to do this film is also because I find him very charming. It's a great opportunity to have him as an onscreen husband and to kiss him. He tries to help you and gives you lot of space to perform. He doesn't like to overpower or interfere in your work yet he is there whenever you need him.