She
is
the
young
woman
who
makes
her
debut
opposite
country's
biggest
brand
today
-
Aamir
Khan
-
when
it
comes
to
quality
cinema.
Still,
her
presence
in
the
actor's
next
film,
Dhobi
Ghat,
has
been
kept
absolutely
low
key.
She
is
Monica
Dogra,
Aamir
Khan's
newest
girl,
who
has
been
a
part
of
the
music
band
called
'Shaa'ir
+
Func'
for
four
years
now.
In
fact
when
Dhobi
Ghat
was
announced,
there
was
no
mention
of
even
Aamir
being
the
leading
man
as
this
Kiran
Rao
directorial
debut
was
mainly
being
sold
as
Prateik
Babbar's
launch
as
a
leading
star.
Slowly,
as
the
film's
shoot
came
close
to
an
end,
it
was
disclosed
that
Aamir
was
a
major
protagonist
in
the
film
as
well,
if
not
the
central
protagonist.
Meanwhile,
Monica
-
till
about
six
months
back
-
was
just
a
name
in
the
credits.
However,
the
beans
were
spilled
when
Dhobi
Ghat
was
screened
in
the
Toronto
International
Film
Festival.
Says
a
Bollywood
insider
who
had
a
dekko
at
the
film
at
Toronto,
"This
is
where
it
was
revealed
(to
everyone's
pleasant
surprise)
that
Monica
was
not
only
playing
a
leading
lady
in
the
film
opposite
Aamir
Khan
but
also
had
an
integral
role
to
play
in
the
overall
development
of
the
plot
that
included
Prateik
Babbar.
In
fact
Monica's
character
in
the
film
is
a
common
factor
that
ties
Aamir
and
Prateik
Babbar."
However,
Monica
refuses
to
be
made
to
stand
in
the
same
line
as
dozens
of
other
debutants
who
arrive
in
the
world
of
films
every
year.
"See,
it
would
be
very
wrong
on
my
part
to
deny
the
fact
that
Dhobi
Ghat
is
a
great
project
to
be
a
part
of.
But
then
well,
the
buck
stops
there.
Beyond
that
there
isn't
anything
that
makes
me
do
something
extraordinary
to
make
my
presence
felt
per
se",
she
says.
She
knows
that
her
performance
would
be
looked
at
with
hawk's
eye.
After
all
if
one
goes
through
Aamir's
filmography,
one
realises
that
it
has
been
a
decade
since
one
saw
an
absolute
raw
talent
being
launched
by
Aamir.
The
last
lucky
girl
was
Gracy
Singh
and
the
film
was
Lagaan
(2001).
Ever
since
then,
Aamir
has
worked
with
Preity
Zinta
(Dil
Chahta
Hai),
Rani
Mukherjee
(Mangal
Pandey
-
The
Rising),
Kajol
(Fanaa)
and
Kareena
Kapoor
(3
Idiots).
His
Ghajini
did
see
a
new
face
-
Asin
-
coming
in
Hindi
cinema
but
then
she
was
already
an
established
actress
down
South.
On
the
other
hand,
his
leading
lady
in
Rang
De
Basanti
-
Alice
Patten
-
was
neither
an
Indian
face
nor
was
she
a
heroine
of
the
film
in
the
true
sense.
This
is
the
reason
why
it
comes
as
nothing
short
of
a
surprise
when
a
new
name
Monica
Dogra
emerges
on
the
scene.
"I
am
sure
that
for
many
people
out
there,
the
core
thought
is
that,
would
I
be
leaving
a
mark
in
the
film.
But
if
I
have
to
tell
you
something
honestly,
I
am
not
worried
about
it
at
all.
I
don't
consider
myself
as
a
debutant
who
is
trying
to
make
it
in
Bollywood
which
would
ultimately
be
my
entire
existence.
Sorry,
but
I
don't
have
the
slightest
of
such
intentions",
says
Monica
in
a
mature,
confident
and
self
assuring
tone.
Well,
with
such
traits
to
match,
she
is
no
wonder
an
Aamir
Khan
girl.