Heroine not just for glamour in films: Sriram Raghavan

By Hindustan Times

Filmmaker Sriram Raghavan wanted an A-level actress to cast opposite Saif in Agent Vinod and decided that Kareena would be the ideal choice to play the mysterious character in the action thriller that released on Friday.

"A heroine's role should not be just to add glamour. There should be a specific character. So I made sure that I get an A-level actress (for 'Agent Vinod') and Kareena was our choice," Raghavan told IANS.

"Kareena has a mysterious character in the film and I definitely wanted a good actress for it. I love Kareena as an actress; so we just thought why not her," he added.

However, Raghavan was apprehensive about one thing regarding roping in Kareena for "Agent Vinod" as she would have to be cast opposite her real life beau Saif Ali Khan.

"The only worry was Saif and Kareena are a real life couple. So I didn't know if it will work or not. But I was convinced while making the film that they will justify the role," he said of his experience while making the action thriller, which hit the screens Friday.

Agent Vinod is Raghavan's only film which took him double the time that he usually takes to direct movie projects.

"It took three years to come up with this film. When we were writing the script, we let our imagination go wild. It's almost like I did two movies with 'Agent Vinod' because my other movies have taken 50 days to get made, but this film has taken 100 days," Raghavan said.

Raghavan is known to have directed thrillers like Ek Hasina Thi and Johnny Gaddar. Now post-Agent Vinod, he plans to step out of his comfort zone and experiment with different genres.

"It's not that I only want to make thrillers. But I have been partial to thriller films. If somebody has a good script, I would love to make a love story or a children's film.

"I like every genre except for out-and-out comedy. I am not good at it. The other things I will attempt for sure...like children's film, drama or a love story," he added.

View the original article here

Suddenly I was a heroine in a love story: Aditi Rao

By Hindustan Times

Who knew that the shy, cotton-sari clad ‘bua’ (aunt) from Delhi 6 would one day be playing the lead in a romcom. Aditi Rao Hydari has certainly come a long way. She agrees, “When I auditioned for Delhi 6, I didn’t even know what role it was for. All I knew was that it had an ensemble cast. It was only after I’d been signed that I was told the role was along the lines of Jaya Bachchan’s in Sholay. Now that was exciting!”

Post Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra’s Abhishek Bachchan-Sonam Kapoor starrer, Aditi was seen in Yeh Saali Zindagi (YSZ) and Rockstar. Both were supporting roles till London Paris New York with Ali Zafar came along. “Suddenly, I was a heroine in a love story that was topical and conversational,” she smiles.

Quiz her on her transition from a supporting actor to a leading lady and Aditi says, “I always knew I wanted to act but I also knew that bagging a leading role would take time. I’d guess my performances in the previous films were noticed which is why Goldie (Behl) and Shrishti (Arya) came to me with London Paris New York.”

Aditi believes her background in classical dance has helped her in her acting career. What’s more, London Paris New York also gave her a song. “I’m a trained dancer but I never imagined I’d become a playback singer some day. My mother is a classical singer so I guess it was in the genes. I was six months old when I hummed a tune and everyone decided I was going to be a singer too. But I had to wait for Ali to give me a voice,” she says.

She comes across as a shy, reserved girl but Aditi has done some pretty steamy scenes in Yeh Saali Zindagi, Rockstar and the just-released London Paris New York. “I’m not too comfortable with bold scenes, but in Yeh Saali Zindagi, Arunoday Singh and I were a couple, so we couldn’t play badminton, could we?” she points out. “For me, it depends upon the director and I wasn’t going to give up a chance to work with Sudhir Mishra because of my inhibitions. London Paris New York was a love story too, so it was important to get into character. If I’m comfortable with the way an intimate scene is being shot, I’ll do it. Period.”

View the original article here

Kareena-Arjun on Heroine sets!

Kareena-Arjun on Heroine sets!

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

Heroine not about Manisha Koirala: Bhandarkar

Bollywood spins never-before-seen pairing!

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here