~KONKONA SEN SHARMA FC ~ New article p.61 - Page 33

Working with Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan would be any actress' dream. But all three of them, together with almost two dozen other stars in a film? Ask Konkana Sen Sharma, the leading lady of Luck By Chance in which they all play cameos, if she will get overshadowed by them and she laughs. "Not at all! I had heard from common friends that Zoya had written a script. When she called me and narrated the story I immediately wanted to do it. All the stars fit into the context of the film and do not hamper mine or Farhan's characters. Zoya is an intelligent girl and knew what she was making."

Not even the fact that a host of other actors like Madhuri Dixit, Kajol and Tabu had refused the part could dampen Konkana's spirit. "I knew that a couple of others had rejected the part, but such things never bother me. It was too interesting a role to miss out," chirps the vivacious Konkana.

Retorting sharply to whether she in any way related to her character of a junior actress and struggler in the film, Konkana says. "If I had to struggle I would certainly not have become an actor! I was this drifter who never took anything seriously and never had any ambitions. Acting just happened and in fact I lack ambition even now," stresses the actress who has won the National Award twice.

Shooting for the film was good fun she says, as her co-star Farhan Akhtar kept everyone in splits with stories and jokes about old Hindi films. And she found Zoya a committed director who knew exactly what she wanted from her actors. Not that it had to do anything with her being a woman, she adds. "It's a notion that women directors are extra-sensitive or better in any way. A director is either good or bad! I have met a lot of obnoxious women directors and a lot of sensitive male directors. And I have worked with a couple of them including Mira Nair and my mom."

Known as the top actress of contemporary parallel cinema, Konkana has done a wide range of films from Omkara to Page 3 to The President Is Coming to Dil Kabaddi. But she does not select a film because it is parallel cinema or an arty film. "I only agree to do a film when I like the story and my character," she emphasises.

Chilled-out, Konkana says that she is also not a person who thinks of what she is going to gain when she accepts a film, and also does not get overly attached to a project. "A failed, project may bother me to an extent, but I move on very quickly," she smiles. Presently she is looking forward to Vinay Shukla's Mirch which has four stories about four raunchy women, but played by two actors – Raima Sen and her! Of course there is debutant director Ayaan Mukherjee's Wake Up Sid with Ranbir Kapoor. "I play a writer from Kolkata who shares a beautiful friendship with Sid. I was very impressed with Ayaan Mukherjee, who I found dynamic, enthusiastic and competent," she laughs. Then there is Right Yaaa Wrong which she did because Irrfan Khan was in it. "I'll do any film that stars Irrfan!" she says.

Where her personal life is concerned, Konkana is very tickled about the sprawling five bedroom house she has just bought in suburban Mumbai and reportedly lives in with beau Ranvir Shorey. "I may not hide my relationship, but I do not like to flaunt it either. I am a private person and feel awkward to talk about it," she signs off.

Someone finally admitted something....