'There is no shortcut to success': Amrita Rao

From the girl-next door image that had made Amrita Rao one of the most accepted and adorable faces in the tinsel town, she comes with a complete image makeover, in a hot new avatar in her forthcoming release 'Shortkut: The Con Is One'. TWF correspondent Ritesh Sharma chats up the actor

Okay… so how have you been?
(Smiles) Great. It has been a great few years and I am just happy with the way things have been, the roles, I have come across and it’s just a great feeling before the release of another film like Shortkut.

So tell me what is the reason behind this hot new look.
(Laughs out loud). You too got surprised and everyone’s getting surprised. But honestly, I didn’t want to surprise anyone with a new look. I don’t believe in a ‘shortcut route to success’. So, this wasn’t a planned move or choice but everything was done to fit into the role. The role demanded me to sport a new, hot, look and as I was playing an actress it was the requirement.

But your fans have always liked you as the girl-next-door?
Well, I am and will always be the way I am. I don’t want to change my image to just impress the audiences. They have accepted me the way I am. And the girl next door can also look hot.

Somehow, whenever you have played a role that has moved away from a simpleton, your films didn’t work like My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves and Victory.
Yes, both the films didn’t work and whenever a film doesn’t work, it hurts the people who were behind making that film. But nothing is predictable. Once a film is made every actor hopes that the film will do well but ultimately, the audience is the deciding factor.

So, you are playing an actress in Shortkut.
Yes… But something that is completely different to what I am in real life. It’s a great comedy, produced by Mr Anil Kapoor and he is someone who gets completely involved into his projects. Though the comedy is mostly between Arshad and Akshaye, I am there in the emotional part. It has been a memorable experience. It’s a laugh riot where Akshay wants to make a film with a bad actor, played by Arshad and I play a successful actress, who is glamorous. My character Mansi is one of the top actresses today but there’s a lot of interference from her personal life into her professional life, which makes things difficult. That’s where the difference lies from my real life. I have never faced such problems from my family. My parents have always been liberal and supportive.

In fact Welcome To Sajjanpur too was a comedy?
But that was completely opposite. You know Mr Benegal and the kind of films he makes. It was a comedy but there was a satire, which was wonderfully depicted on screen. It had a subtle message and the comedy was completely different. In fact my role, look and everything was completely different.

You have worked with directors like Shyam Benegal and Raj Kumar Santoshi on one hand and on the other hand the likes of Farah Khan, Ken Ghosh and Sooraj Barjatia. How do you balance your moves?
See, I don’t do things in a planned way. That can never be done. Good scripts always appeals and if you can justify your role good films are bound to come your way. But I have always maintained a balance between the good films and the commercial value of films because at the end of the day commercial value of films does matter. That is what brings business while there isn’t a bigger kick than playing a role which people appreciate.

So what about your film The Legend Of Kunal, which is being directed by Dr Chandraprakash Diwedi?
I am really thrilled to be acting alongside Mr Amitabh Bachchan. It is a period film and a lot of research has already gone into it. Right now Mr Diwedi is looking for the right location and once that is done we will start shooting. It’s a big film and we all are excited about it but it will take some more time. Moreover, we all too need to prepare a lot on our roles and that isn’t an easy task at all.

So what are your plans now?
There aren’t any plans as such. As I said, one can’t plans things always, and at least not in our trade. I will be doing films, which I think the audience will like me in and that is what is most satisfying as an actor. For the time being I am really excited and looking forward to Shortkut.