Sunday, September 14, 2003		In The Spotlight

Milind magic rules

A quintessential gypsy at heart, Milind Soman has lots of ideas brewing in his head, Excerpts from an interview:

I don't think about these things, once they are done. I never go ga-ga about the laurels and`A0never brood over the brickbats I get. Surya by Partho Ghosh has lots of masala for the masses— fights, item numbers, the works. My own production is more for the city crowd. On the surface, it's a light, romantic feel-good film, but it has very strong content and the characters are well etched.

Difficult question. Let's see how Surya fares. So far, I have consciously tried to do different characters. When 16 December did well, everyone offered me films as an undercover agent. I don't understand why our industry suffers from a herd mentality. Anyway, I’m not losing out on anything. After Tarkeeb, I did three other films. And I have already made my own film.

I was doing television shows when I was offered JJWS; I didn't have dates.

Creativity has reached its lowest ebb. People are not doing anything radically different. I know the director of Rules.. Parvati Balagopalan, since the days she directed my first Hindi serial Margerita. Today, she is the partner of my company. With her and other new directors in the near future, I’d love to portray something that has never been witnessed before.

I want to live life to the fullest. If I feel like telling a story, I don't want to curb it. As an actor, I am limited to what my producer and director want. I can't express myself to the maximum. So why should I remain an actor only?

The agenda of my production house is to encourage new talent. There's so much talent around other than the established actors. Here, actors are not valued as they are in Hollywood or European cinema. For instance, actors like Irfan Khan and Boman Irani. Why don't filmmakers weave stories around them? Besides, I want to do socially relevant films.

I want the entire population to be more sensitive to the society we live in.

The name itself is an advertising slogan. It tells you exactly what the film is all about. It's about this girl Radha (Meera Vasudevan), who idolises a model Vikram Verma (myself). She works as an assistant to a photographer. One day, she sees him at a fashion show while shooting. Vikram also visits her boss's studio along with his girlfriend, and Radha makes a complete fool of herself. So she goes back crying to her grandmother (Tanuja), who tells her that attraction is not about looks or physical beauty. Attraction is a game that has to be played by certain rules!

According to my director, I am a super-model (blushes). For the role of the young girl, we tested 67 girls. We wanted someone with the girl-next-door looks and warmth that makes the audience root for her.`A0In Meera, we found the vulnerability which we were looking for. Barely 21 years old, this Bangur Nagar resident has modelled for a couple of ads, including the "Om Cricket Namah Rangoli" ad popular during the World Cup last year. Model Namrata Barua fitted the bill for my girlfriend as she presented a stark contrast to Meera. As for Tanuja, who can be better than her? We were lucky that she said yes.

All controversies come from some misunderstanding or miscommunication. However, there is no problem now. Credits have been given wherever due.

You end up being linked with all your female co-stars.

Rubbish. That's all yellow journalism. If two members of the opposite sex get along well with each other, the media cooks up a tasty dish saying that they’re having a scene.

Yes, in fact, we are ready with a script which we believe in. It's all about how people get married without thinking at all. They are mesmerised by the external beauty of a person, but they don't really know each other.

If I suit the role, only then. I hope I do, then there would be no problem with dates.

When I am 41. I would be marrying in 2006.

If I could wait until 38, then why not until 41? TWF