Smart and assertive, there's just no messing with the Mast Mast Raveena Tandon. She makes for good copy with her spade-for-spade talk. In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Ravishing Ravs speaks about her courtship and impending marriage

SHE has never minced words and neither is this time an exception. "Why shouldn't I always say it as it is? At the risk of sounding boastful, let me say today that I am the happiest person in the world. I have found my soulmate, Anil Thadani."

Excerpts from an interview:

I first met him about two years ago. That was a fleeting meeting, we just exchanged 'hellos' at a party. Actually, he distributed my home production Stumped. Even then, his partner Preeti used to interact more with me. We had some common friends and moved in the same social circles, and destiny smiled on us. One day, he surprised me by coming home and slipping a ring on my finger.

Well, we both were attracted to each other. So, it was just a matter of time that one of us proposed. If he hadn't, I would have (laughs).

Not at all. Even I had a relationship with Akshay Kumar. I was engaged, as you know. That doesn't change his chemistry with me. If Natasha-Anil could not get along and Raveena-Akshay could not either, it does not imply by any yardstick that Anil-Raveena will not get along. He is the best thing that happened to me. We are made for each other.

Of course. But yes, I am taking a break of two months after marriage. Thereafter, I will start with a fresh batch of films. At present, I am comppleting all my pending assignments—Aan-Men at Work, Ek Se Badkar Ek, Dobara, Jaago.

(Interrupts) I think he wanted a needless controversy in the Press, so that he could derive some publicity for his film.

Jaago is based on a real-life incident of a 10-year-old girl who was raped in a local train. During a scene where the child is supposed to be in coma, Mehul wanted the kid to throw up some noises. I suggested that the noises would look artificial and dramatic, because the kid was supposed to be unconscious. I don't know what came over him. He just blasted me. Later, he began going around saying that I had apologised to him. On the last day of the shooting, I categorically mentioned to all the scribes that I had not apologised. If he didn't like my suggestion, he should have calmly turned it down.

Unfortunately, it never got released. Mukul Anand's Dus. Mukul expired midway through the film and the project had to be shelved.

I have not written the script for Deepa's film. It just happened that there was a novel that I had read and liked. I thought that it had the potential of being converted into a film by a filmmaker of calibre. Deepa Mehta's name came to my mind and I just passed it on to her.

Nothing like that. I was busy organising the CFSI festival in Hyderabad.

I hadn't stated that I wouldn't do television ever. Today, television is not a small medium. There was no way I could say no to Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam on Sahara. I am a part of the Sahara Parivar. Plus, I was very keen to work with Ghosh, he is a genius. Ever since the day I received the Best Actress award for Aks in Kolkata where he was a part of the jury, we were talking about doing a project together.

Has Bollywood been kind to you?

Of course. If you trace the graph of my career, you will observe that I achieved in a short span of time what most actresses could not achieve after being in the industry for 10-15 years.

This time, it did. Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, Union I & B Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and I & B Secretary Pavan Chopra congratulated me. The state government had hosted over 400 underprivileged kids and they had a whale of time.

(Interrupts) I am used to all these things. Here, even before you have drunk a glass of water , tongues start wagging. I have been associated with kids for a long time. I am an ambassador for CRY.

No way. I am too sensitive for politics.

Of course. I love kids.

I will be donning my mom's bridal outfit—a traditional red lehenga and dupatta. TWF

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