Encounter with two sizzling queens...

By: Faridoon Shahryar, IndiaFM
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
They are two disparate personalities. As different as chalk-n-cheese. Both ooze oodles of oomph. And neither of them is least apologetic about it. I happened to interview them leisurely the same day. The experience was as different as ice-cream-milk-shake and a cola. Great to talk to. But the style (of talking, you silly, what did you think?) varies in emotions and intelligence. Fine, let's cut the crap and get the names out-of-the-box to whet your appetite for more. My first stop was controversy's favourite child Rakhi Sawant and the next one was self confessed "God's child" Sherlyn Chopra. Aren't they as different as a refreshing morning and the sultry evening....Uhm ain't I getting a bit too poetic in this search for similes. Well, over to the first pit stop...

There was a time when Rakhi Super Girl Sawant wooed the media by doling out spicy entertaining things about Mallika Sherawat and Aishwarya Rai getting into her item-girl-space. Post Bigg Boss, the media is crazy about her. So, if she turns a tigress for the cause of circus animals, her ferocious avatar gets plastered on the front page of nation's biggest dailies. "I am genuinely supporting this cause. I really hope the government does something for these animals. And I haven't charged a single penny from PETA," she clarifies her stand. There was a time when she would cut off the phones during an interview if you ask about her penchant for getting publicity. Today, she says, "God bless my critics who feel this way."

Yes, she is over Mika's antics and is eagerly looking forward to life ahead. She has just moved into her spacious new house in an up-market Mumbai suburban locality. For a girl coming from a very humble background whose father left her family when she was ten, this leap towards affluence is praiseworthy. When she talks about the hardships she has faced in life those wet eyes are hard to miss. She doesn't give credence to accusations that she left her mother for boyfriend Abhishek. "I know I have done enough for my family. It's time I lived my own life my way." You realize she isn't getting swayed by the romance-of-the-moment when she says, "I will never marry or have kids. But I am definitely going to adopt a kid next year and make sure that he/she gets the best life and education."

Remind her about the promise she made to the nation on Bigg Boss that she will marry Abhishek soon and she coolly replies, "I did say that. But when I came out I realized I want to concentrate on my work. I share a very good relationship with him. Par main shaadi ke baad ghar ki murgi daal barabar nahin hona chahti hoon." Hmmm...this girl is all sorted out. And when you watch her discuss live shows on phone with the prospective promoters, the street smartness is hard to miss. "Mujhe jiske bhi paise pehle mil jayenge main uska show karoongi," she said. But then that warm smile-cum-laughter at the end of the phone conversation seemed to have closed the deal in her favour. Hmmm...smart girl, who is definitely far more honest and straightforward than many others. In showbiz that is.

My next assignment for the day was the superstar of internet wallpapers Sherlyn Chopra (earlier known as Mona Chopra). Torn jeans, a see-all top and ruffled blown hair. She loves to live up to her sex goddess image. She also served a well-made black coffee with sparkling fresh aroma. The glint in the eye and that school girl giggle is a perennial feature as you make a conversation with her. She may have done some forgettable skin flicks like Naughty Boy, but according to her all that is in the past. Today she wants to play intelligent characters and not the bimbette sorts. "I don't mind shades of grey..." she says. Well, her next film Red Swastik does have her playing a serial killer with a heightened libido.

She compares her role in Red Swastik to that of Charlize Theron's Oscar winning performance in Monster. "I'd like to win an Oscar some day as well," she said wistfully. Hmmm...On being asked about her kind of man, she said with a silver-coin-clinking laughter, "He has to be blessed between the ears and below the belt." She doesn't mind being featured in Playboy. And of course she doesn't like the hypocrisy of people having double standards about sexuality. Her next step in tinsel town is her stint as a singer with her debut album Outrageous. The video for one of the songs from this album will be directed by hot shot advertising filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar.

Well, it seemed to be a long day as the conversations veered continually in the corridors of mind as I drove back home. "This is showbiz man," a friend called up and said. Yeah right. After all, as the lightening doesn't strike twice, one doesn't meet two bombshells the same day. That too in their own time-n-space, trying to decipher what goes on in those minds captured in beautiful bodies. The encounter ends.

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