Amisha Patel: Woman of substance

Does the failure of films like Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar and Kranti bother you?
I haven’t forgotten the failure of Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar but it is certainly behind me. I did that movie because of Tanuja Chandra.

I wanted to work with her as I thought very highly of her and I still think she is a brilliant director. I liked my role in it and I did my best, but maybe it wasn’t meant to be.

Audience is the final judge and they didn’t take to the film. It must have had some fault which I don’t know of.

Are you banking on Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage?
Certainly. my expectations from my films are always high. I am very excited about this film because people are looking forward to another film with Hrithik. I think Hrithik and I look great on screen. I am sure the film will do very well.

Are you comfortable with film people?
You know, in this industry people are two-faced. They can’t take a person who is straight forward. You can’t trust anybody in this industry.

It is full of people with double standards. I keep to myself and my family so that the chances of getting are less.

So what is an educated girl like you doing in this industry?
You are saying this because I’m not sitting in an office, but I am using the same kind of discipline in my work here in this industry. I treat my work as a profession and not a picnic like most of them do here.

I take it very seriously. A girl of my background could afford to take it very lightly, but I work like a dog and my parents cannot believe it.

They often tell me that I could’ve got married to a rich man and bought diamonds everyday! Yet, they think I work more than a man would do.

I have no life of my own. I am married to my work. I am very proud of the fact that I have an identity of my own rather than being an offshoot of my parents!

Why have you earned the reputation of being arrogant?
Just because I don’t talk to anyone and everyone, doesn’t mean I am arrogant. I know I have been termed as a person who is not media-friendly. But that is not true, magazines call to make me give controversial quotes, which I will not do.

I have nothing controversial to give them, so why should I say things for effect? I am a real person and if anything real happens in my life I will let the whole world know about it.

What, according to you, is your strength?
My passion to be different. I don’t act for my bread and butter. With my background I don’t need to. I have spent every single penny of my earning.

My father still supports me. I come from a background where my parents were against me joining films. I had to fight it out.

I had to be different and I guess that difference made me take up roles that were risky. If I had been a typical girl with siblings or parents or grandparents from the film industry, I too would have done films with big banners only!

What is this rivalry with Kareena?
I don’t know her at all. There is a lot being written about the rivalry between the two of us. Frankly speaking, I haven’t given Kareena that much thought in my life.

I think I’ll let the audience decide whom they like or don’t like. It is foolish for us to say that we belong to the top bracket of heroines.

As for Kareena and me, she doesn’t have what I have and vice-versa. Besides there is a lot of place for all of us then why fight for it.

What do awards mean to you?
That finally hard work pays off. Even nominations, if not the actual awards, mean that the work has been appreciated. I have achieved whatever I have, without any godfather.

Why do you think there is a lobby against you in the industry?
I definitely believe that there is a strong lobby working against me in this industry and they are trying to get me out of work.

No names please. But goodness and hard work pays. Even if they try to sabotage my career, they will not succeed!

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