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Today there isn't much scope for heroines in a film. I was fortunate enough to be part of films that had strong women characters. Actresses like Sridevi, Madhuri, Juhi and Kajol would have probably not survived this era as they are brilliant in their craft
On my way to meet Ameesha Patel at her office in Bandra, Mumbai's queen of suburbs, I had a lot of pre-conceived notions thanks to some not-so-good experiences that I have had in the past because of the actress' weird temperament and tantrum throwing behaviour, especially while giving interviews. So when I reached her office a little before the scheduled time, it came as a pleasant shock to see her (probably for the first time) waiting for a media person.
Welcoming me with a warm hug and an ecstatic smile, the actress almost reading my face, asks, 'I know you are shocked to see me already present in the office. You must have thought that I might make you wait for an hour at least and then make a star entry kind of sorts. But that's not me anymore.' The lines of assurance promptly throw most of my preconceived apprehensions straight out of the window. Clad in her favourite baby pink tee and denims with no make-up on, the Gujju babe still looks a stunner, thanks to her flawless complexion. Becoming a producer has definitely made her calmer, mature and a more poised person. All set to script a new chapter in her career, Ameesha however isn't averse to setting the record straight on a few old ones from her life diary as a hearty conversation begins'
It's been more than a decade for this gorgeous lass in tinsel town. Her journey almost resembles that of a mountain climber. 'I couldn't agree more with you. I faced a lot of hurdles while climbing up, reached the peak, and came down to the valley and then when I looked back at the mountain, I said to myself, 'Oh god, I have to climb that huge piece of rock all over again.' But I had the courage to do it. Fortunately I have done good cinema amongst which few would adorn the archives of film history,' mentions a proud Ameesha.
Walking down the memory lane further, she sallies, 'My debut film itself, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai became a cult and catapulted Hrithik and me to instant stardom. Then followed Gadar-Ek Prem Katha that went on to become the modern day Mughal-e-Azam. And it not only made me a star but also got me acclaim as an acting star. Then came Humraaz that proved how well I could essay a character with negative shades, followed by Mangal Pandey wherein I played a widow with no makeup. I thankfully even managed to stand out in crowded films like Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. and Bhool Bhulaiyaa.
Simultaneously, I had been audacious enough to work with a new comer like Jimmy Shergill in Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar because I felt that I didn't need a hero to pull off a film; I could be the hero myself. Not many know that I didn't get Gadar because my debut film was a super success. I had got it before my first film was released. Everybody including Rakesh (Roshan) uncle had told me that I was making a big mistake by doing a film like Gadar' But I have always gone with my gut instinct. Had I fallen on my face, I would have had to bear the criticism. It was my second film but I didn't mind going the de-glam way by wearing a sari and salwar-kameez throughout the film and playing a wife and a mother at such an early stage of my career. And after working with every big star around, today as I debut again as the youngest producer in the industry, I stand with my head held high and with a lot of dignity. So I am very proud of this journey.'
Why not? After all, hers had truly been a blockbuster debut and she was the heroine of one of Indian cinema's highest grossing films ever. Needless to add, people obviously expected her to be another phenomenon. But as luck or rather bad luck may have it, her consequent films flopped. Ameesha attributes this to the absence of proper guidance from seniors. 'Since I didn't belong to a film family and had no one to guide me, some of my decisions did go wrong. Also I never belonged to any camp or tried fuelling the egos of big stars so probably that's why I couldn't be a part of many big projects. I don't like sitting and drinking with actors at their houses till wee hours of the morning for no rhyme or reason. I would only sit and talk if it is work related or when I am with my very close friends. Otherwise, you will never find me at most of the parties. So I think somewhere my non-social behaviour didn't favour me in getting good projects then. Also, unfortunately for me, there was the family split and a lot of my focus went in saving myself from financial losses. So that was a time when I did a few films purely for monetary gains without thinking if they would take my career ahead or not. Still, honestly speaking, I don't regret any of my decisions.'
Despite having worked with almost every big star of the day, things unfortunately didn't fall in place for Ameesha. After Gadar' in 2001, her next super hit came after a gap of six years in Bhool Bhulaiyaa in 2007. Ask her, if she blames herself for choosing the wrong scripts or she felt shortchanged because of the way the films turned out to be and she avers that she doesn't regret having done any of those films. 'If one knew what would really work, then no actor would have given a flop in his/her career. Even seasoned actors from the industry like Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan or Kareena Kapoor have had flops. They have so much of experience, come from film families and have tremendous backing. I had none of these. So why single me out? Just because I didn't have a godfather to get me out of the dump and make a Krrish for me, it's not right to blame me for my few flop films.'
Interestingly, Ameesha and Kareena Kapoor started their acting careers at the same time. While Patel's debut film went on to become a blockbuster, Bebo's first film Refugee had bombed at the box office. However, things look topsy-turvy today as far as their careers are concerned. Quiz her if she ever feels jealous of the Kapoor girl and she smiles, 'Oh my God never! This may sound clich'd but I envy nobody. I feel very happy for her that she is doing so fabulously in her career. She is a great actor and deserves to be where she is today.'
After a brief pause, Ameesha continues on a tad serious note saying that she never had a godfather but always had God by her side. Prod her if she feels that destiny didn't favour her when she needed it the most and she reasons, 'I think that destiny not favouring has me made me a stronger person. God's willed to me that 'Ameesha you better get stronger at the early stage of your life and after that I would give you a super sexy life.' And that's what he has given me today.'
In spite of giving two major hits in two consecutive years, the talented actor was mostly being talked and written about her problems with her parents and her relationship with Vikram Bhatt. But being an audacious girl that she is, Ameesha says that she faced those trying times with a smile, 'Just like I have it now while talking to you. I took it all with a pinch of salt. See today Mukesh Ambani is one of the richest men in the world, but instead of talking about his achievements, people only like to talk about his spilt with his brother. I had accepted that all that was part and parcel of my life and profession that I had chosen to be in. Nobody's life is perfect; mine was surely not and I hadn't expected it to be one either. Had it been perfect, I would have been sitting in a temple with ten hands like a goddess which I am not. I am human.'
God certainly helps those who help themselves. While on one hand her acting career was going through rough waters, on the other, she was turning a new leaf by becoming a producer. But Ameesha says that getting into production was never really on her mind and gives full credit to her friend and business partner Kuunal Goomer for convincing her to bring in the change. 'Kuunal is the brains behind the company. He forced me, convinced me and coerced me to get into production. He developed that confidence in me. And that's when I decided to give an eventual turn to my career. We have been friends since childhood. I consider him as one of my best friends and confidante. I would give the entire credit to him for creating Ameesha Patel Productions,' informs the actress as she next reveals the kind of change that she would like to bring in through her productions. 'See today there isn't much scope for heroines in a film. They are only left with a couple of scenes and one or two item songs wearing a bikini, that's it. You don't need an actress to do that. I was fortunate enough to be a part of films that had strong women characters. Actresses like Sridevi, Madhuri, Juhi, and Kajol would have probably not survived this era as they are brilliant in their craft. So as a producer I would like to make films with strong and meaty female oriented roles that would require an actress and not just a heroine.'
However, according to industry gossip, it was the lack of any acting offers that prompted Ameesha to turn a producer to make films for herself. She counters, 'I would rather say the lack of good offers. I started my career with a bang and was very charged up to do heroine oriented or substantial female roles. I didn't want to do films wherein I would just add to the glam quotient. I didn't want to do that because after giving three super hits in the beginning of my career, I had the confidence of emerging a good actor so why do films that would not allow me to exploit my acting talent? Maybe I was one of the few actresses who lived in a world thinking that because I have done good work, it would continue to come. But then suddenly there was a drastic transformation in films and all that heroines had to do was look good rather than perform well. It took some time for me to digest and understand all that. So that transition is also one of the major reasons for me
Generally any new producer starts with one film and that too a small budget one. However Ameesha has been audacious enough to announce two mega budget films under her production banner. She says matter-of-factly that these films require that kind of budget. 'We had to target the finances that way. These films just came my way and I feel very lucky about it. I think God gave me these opportunities. But that doesn't mean that I would not want to make small budget films. I don't undermine small films. The scripts have to be nice and sensible. Also it's not a conscious decision to start with big budget films. If we get a good story idea and a good script that demands a small budget then we would do that, why not? If we get a good concept and feel that it deserves to be made first then we don't mind starting with a small film either.'
However soon after the launch of her production house there were reports that she had no takers for her films and that she had even approached Imtiaz Ali and requested him to direct a film for her. Ameesha sets the record straight stating, 'David was the first person we had approached and signed. Fact is that many producers and directors I had been associated with in the past were there at the launch party. And then directors like Imtiaz and Kunal Deshmukh who I haven't worked with me ever too were present. That's how people started speculating that I had approached Imtiaz to direct my first film. But that's totally untrue. People tend to forget that sometimes, directors who you haven't worked with can also come to congratulate and wish you because they like you and it need not be work related all the time. But because there are lots of matlabi log in the industry, people forget that there are a few good souls here too who do meet and interact with you for pure friendship.'
Friendship reminds us about Ameesha's ex-boyfriend Vikram Bhatt with whom she had parted ways a couple of years ago. So it was quite surprising for her to show a keen interest in working with him again for her banner. 'I am open to work with anybody and everybody who has a good subject and excites me to back it,' she sallies and continues, 'My criteria has no space for any personal or professional issues or rivalries and stuff like that. I am here to make good films.' As regards if she has spoken to Bhatt on any specific project, she clears the air stating, 'No, I haven't discussed anything with him so far. But then we have been very good friends even after we stopped dating each other. We have had an amicable separation. Also he had been busy with his 3D horror film Haunted, and has now signed Karisma Kapoor for his next, following which he will be directing Raaz 3 for the Bhatts. There is so much on his platter right now, while we require a director who can give a lot of time to us. That's it.'
Needless to add, David Dhawan, one of the relatively free directors these days, was Ameesha's obvious second choice. However, as an actor, her only film with David, Yeh Hai Jalwa was a box-office disaster. Considering her first bitter experience, she should have given it a second thought before signing David for her first production venture. 'No, why should I,' she quizzes and says that she is extremely proud to have David Dhawan on board. 'No director, however big or small, has had a 100 per cent success record in the industry. Everyone goes through this cycle. But the fact is that these are real talents. David has been in the industry for so many years and has given many blockbuster films so what if my film with him didn't do well. Of course I wish for my first production to be directed by David to be very successful. But I am not impractical to expect him to only churn out hits all the time. And I won't lessen my faith in him as a director.'
It's no rocket science to gauge that with David on board, her debut film as a producer would be a comic caper. Ask her if as a producer, she wanted to start with the genre because of its popularity among the audience and she nods in agreement reasoning, 'In a way, yes, we wanted to start with something light-hearted, a commercial masala film because ours is a new company and we can't afford to invest such a huge amount in experimenting in something totally new. There is definitely space for intelligent and non-conventional cinema too. But I think you also need to make a film that caters to the maximum number of audience and not a niche audience. Commercial and conventional films have maximum reach and hence ensure greater visibility for a production house too.'
Steering the conversation next to the personal front, I ask Ameesha on her growing closeness with Sanjay Dutt and his wife Maanyata. So when did the association begin?
'Well Sanju has been a family friend since I was a kid. Actually his parents Sunil saab and Nargisji were very close to my grandfather. In fact my grandmother who recently passed away had many pictures with Sanju's parents and I used to show him those pictures while we were shooting for Tathaastu. He has always been very protective of me. I had met Maanyata for the first time on the sets of Chatursingh Two Star in South Africa and we developed an instant liking for each other. She is an absolutely lovely and intelligent person. She is very open and straight forward and never bitches about anybody behind his/her back. She has brought in a lot of positive changes in Sanju and I respect her a lot for that. She has made him a very focused and disciplined man and life a happier place to be in.'
Sanju's reputation of playing a godfather to struggling actors isn't something new. Hence it wasn't surprising to read reports suggesting that he had helped Ameesha bag a role in his next multi-starrer Power. The actress however insists that Dutt had never recommended her. 'And because we are so close, I don't want him to do that. If he does that then it would be misconstrued. In fact, the whole world is behind Sanju because they either want him to act in their films or they want a film from him but I have never wanted that because I feel my relation with Sanju is one that will remain long after he can act no more and I can produce no more. If I was to bag films by recommendations then I would have had affairs with the big stars left, right and centre to get recommended by them. Instead, after I became close to Sanju and Maanyata, I stopped doing anymore films with him as people would have anyways insinuated that I was getting those films because of him.'
Point taken. But now that Ameesha is so close to the Dutt couple and counts them as family, it is no rocket science to gauge that they might also be directly or indirectly involved in her production house. 'I won't call it involvement but they have always been extremely helpful and supportive of me and I know I can turn to them for any sort of advice. My relation with Sanju and Maanyata has never been work related. It's much beyond that. It's an association where our kids will become friends with each other. I remember I was wearing a short dress at the mahurat of Power and he was livid at me.
Though he didn't directly tell me anything, I got a call from Maanyata saying, 'Sanju is very angry with you for wearing such a short dress and has asked me to talk to you because if he talks to you he would whack you.' He's that possessive and protective of me. Like the way he wants his daughter Trishala to be away from the film industry, he wants me too to stay away from films. You know, I only wear salwar-kameez when I visit his house. He's a gem of a person. All this is far more important for me than doing one or two films with him. You cannot compare an entire lifetime of being like a family to a one time professional association.'
Ameesha has always been very open and candid about her relationships and eventual break-ups, be it with Vikram Bhatt or Kanav Puri in the past. However, for the time being she is very happy remaining single. 'In fact I am married to my work and there is so much of work happening that I can't even think of anything else right now,' she sallies.
'As regards my support,' she avers contentedly, 'It could be anybody ' parents, friends, colleagues and I have my childhood friend Kuunal who's my best buddy and a great support system. I know people would assume us to be a couple and that I am dating Kuunal but that's not the case. I have been very open and honest, and never shied away from talking about my affairs and break-ups. So whenever I am in a relationship, you will know it first from me. Marriage is not on my list, at least not in the near future. But if you find me a nice suitable guy for marriage then do let me know.'
http://www.magnamags.com/content/view/8432/326/lang,english/
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