ZEROING IN ON...
Mahima’s waning magic
Aditi Tandon

MAHIMA Chaudhary may not have been able to recreate the magic of Pardes till today, but she has certainly been trying hard to show her talent. And even though of late, critics have been ruthlessly dissecting her performances, this "cool" girl from Mumbai does not mind the criticism a bit. Not only because she feels that being censured is a sure indication that you are getting noticed, but also because criticism, if sportingly taken, can benefit the one who stands at the receiving end.

Though Mahima has not allowed herself to get bogged down by her critics, there are some questions that she must not avoid answering: why has she not made a mark after her debut in Pardes? Does she think her success had something to do with Subhash Ghai and his directorial competence?

The charming actress, brushing aside all such charges, said: "The process of growth has to go on. Pardes operated at a very different level. It gave me the much-needed anchorage in the film industry. But the characters I play cannot be the same always. There has to be some variety. Moreover, you can’t always be the chooser in this field."

Clinging on to hope, despite realising the fact that she has been surpassed by younger heroines who came long after her, has not been so easy. But Mahima has learnt not to compare the quality of her performances with those of other actresses. As far as criticism and self-analysis goes, the actress makes one point clear, "See, nobody likes to assess oneself to a level where assessment itself becomes a burden. I know my drawbacks and I also know how to handle them. After so many years in this profession, you get wiser. I think I am quite mature to judge myself and work upon my drawbacks,"

This willingness to see herself objectively has brought to Mahima a great deal of respect, which is why a successful director like Kundan Shah did not think twice before casting her in Dil Hai Tumhara. The role has also come to Mahima because she has been rather comfortable and convincing in a host of miniscule roles she has featured in recently. Says Mahima, "It is more important to weigh the strength of a character you have been asked to play rather than calculate whether the character is strong enough to boost your career." Known for not interfering with the director’s plan on the sets and for being punctual, Mahima is professionally considered quite sound. But rumours that she was all set to marry tennis star Leander Paes did prove somewhat fatal for her career, though only for a while. Apparently uncomfortable about any query about her love interest, all that Mahima said was she was not planning to marry in the near future. "But yes,"she added, "I plan to marry some day, for I cannot afford to be without children. To a woman, these desires are natural. I will ultimately have a home, a husband and lots of kids because I love kids. But it is too premature to talk about marriage. Let’s see. I must make an impact first."