I am not undermining Neetu's role: Tanushree Dutta

Apartment is all set to release this Friday. However, ever since the kick-start of the film's shoot around June last year, there have been stories around discomfort between the leading ladies of the film - Tanushree Dutta and Neetu Chandra. One wonders though that isn't it amusing that during the making of most of the films (and especially around the release time) stories about cat fights start making headlines? Aren't audience expected to understand that there can't be much truth to this?

"I generally believe that these controversy angles have become passe. Whoever is playing up these kind of rumours doesn't realize that it is only ending up harming the film", says Tanushree Dutta who is obviously unhappy with the way this entire episode has taken shape, "I strongly believe though that such stories are not coming from the production house but some outside camps. These controversies, actresses doing cat fights, lesbian angles - come on, give me a break. And gosh, what was this story around an apparent shower scene in the film? Please, there is none. These are just rumours floating for no reasons."

On a positive note though, her director Jagmohan Mundhra appears to be quite impressed with the very virtue of her picking up the film since supposedly not many girls were keen at playing a victim.

"See, I have played a villain earlier in 'Raqeeb' so I thought of doing something different this time around", says Tanushree with a straight face, "I had a choice of either playing a villain or a victim and I did the latter. This adds variety to my work platter. In fact I remember asking Jag that which role did he want me to play and he suggested that of the victim. I too am pleased with it because while the character played by Neetu is monotonous, the one that I do has a lot of shades."

Now that's quite a statement from her. Does she wish to elaborate further?

"I am not undermining Neetu's role; after all it is all negative and powerful. Still, it is monotone character and has one shade to it", she adds cautiously, "On the other hand my character has lot of shades to it. There is an air hostess angle to it which shows that I am a smart working woman. Also, since I am shown to be in a relationship, you would see a soft sensitive side to me as well. And then when I get victimized, then there is this trauma and pain also that come in. So yeah, I get to do a lot in the film and I am satisfied."