‘I’ve never played a small-town girl’

Bipasha Basu is playing a village belle for the first time in Omkara, which will make it to the theatres on July 28. She tells Arpana that her character in the film is very interesting and colourful

Actress Bipasha Basu plays a rustic character, an abuse-mouthing singer and dancer, in Vishal Bharadwaj’s ready-to-release Omkara.

The role is quite the reverse of her recent film Corporate, in which she plays a sophisticated, city-bred business executive. Her performance has fetched her much praise.

"My character in Omkara is very colourful. Billo Chaman Bahar is a singer and dancer in a small village. She is very straightforward, fiery. She liberally sprinkles abuses in her speech, but in a very sweet manner. Viveik (Oberoi) and Billo like each other in the movie," says Bipasha.

The actress is playing a village belle for the first time in the film, which is a Hindi adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello.

"I have never played a small-town girl in a raw manner before. The reason why I accepted this role is that Vishal told me that it was not about being a leading lady but playing an interesting character." What was Bipasha’s first reaction after reading the script? "My first reaction was to know Othello. All the characters in the film are very exciting and interesting. I want to do different kinds of films." Like her co-stars, Bipasha admits that Vishal knows his craft well and there was no scope for any confusion on the sets.

"He knows what he wants. His research is complete. Initially, he was not happy with the Bidee song shot and he didn’t hide it. He is transparent, humble and encouraging." Bipasha was upset when director Neeraj Vora engaged another artist to dub her voice in Phir Hera Pheri without informing her. But she is happy that Vishal has used her voice in the crime-thriller Omkara.

"He recorded my dialogues, heard it repeatedly and finalised it. It is my first sync sound film. On the first day I was very nervous about the ambience and all." Bipasha has item number Bidee jalai re in the film, which she says is her favourite.

"It is a raw, sexy and sensuous song. It’s very realistically picturised. I had to lip sync for it. And I did not know if I could pull it off convincingly. Viveik and Ajay (Devgan) helped me out." "I am wearing a ghagara and choli in the song for the first time. There were 200 guys with beard and moustaches around me. It was scary. Initially, I was very nervous but I was fine after rehearsals." Bipasha plays Viveik’s love interest in Omkara.

Praising Viveik, she says: "He is sweet, enthusiastic, very much into his work. I have seen his Saathiya and I liked him in it. He is very energetic, friendly and cooperative. I didn’t have any difficult moment with him." Bipasha is surprised how easily Saif Ali Khan picked up the dialect.

"Saif is the most interesting, good-looking person. He is good to speak with. It is amazing how easily he picked up the language." If the film clicks, it will add another feather in Bipasha’s cap even as she rides high on the success of Corporate. — IANS

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