BITE
INTERVIEW
anything for it. His work ethic must
have rubbed off on me.
What were your lowest
moments?
When you’re really close to getting a
job and then you don’t. Rejection is
part of life and I’ve learnt not to be
phased by it. You can’t take it too per-
sonally and must pick yourself up and
try again. I look at it probability wise;
the more you go for, the more chance
you have of succeeding. You can’t get
everything; that’s impossible.
What advice would you give
people wanting to succeed in
the film industry?
Get yourself together and be prepared.
Luck doesn’t happen to people, it hap-
pens to those who are prepared. Make
sure you over prepare, it’s very impor-
tant. Don’t get rusty. I guess you have
to stop dreaming about it and just get
on with it
What personality traits have
you got which helped you in
your career?
Everybody says I’m laid back; I know I
don’t sound it ranting on but I’m actu-
ally a chilled, calm person. Never let
things get to me. This helps because I
can concentrate without distraction.
Because I don’t get worried, I make
sure I get good beauty sleep too.
Nobody likes baggy eyes.
What do you aspire for in the
future?
In the future, I’ll be working interna-
tionally and also writing my own
material. As long as I’m creating, I’ll
be happy.
Do you have any insecurities?
Well, I used to be insecured about my
body, but those days are long gone. I
remember when I used to wear layer
upon layer. What happened to that
girl? She disappeared. Now I’m totally
free. Not sure why, I guess I just real-
ized that if you’re confident, you’ll
look good. It’s not about what you
have; it’s how you feel about it.
Being mixed race (Indian/
English/French), do you work
in different cultures?
I’ve been lucky enough to work in
French, Indian, British and American
cinema. You have to learn how each
industry works and what it stands for.
In India, I get much interest because
of my bold attitude and film choices.
I’ve not done any stereotypical
Bollywood films, just Arthouse and
action. I guess the Indian media are
intrigued by my liberal personality.
The fact that I don’t quite fit in there
is great fodder for the press. They get
easily shocked; it’s amusing.
Which one has been your
favourite project and why?
My favourite project has been my most
challenging one. After two years of
auditioning, I finally secured the lead
in an epic adventure called AO The Last
Neanderthal. It was produced by UGC
after Oscar nominee A Prophet. The
character was a gritty woman who in
my opinion is the essence of raw femi-
ninity. I had to grow my body hair for
the role, learn spear throwing, shoot in
-10 degrees and eat insects. There are
scenes of birth, rape and death, it’s a
crazy role. I loved every moment because
it stretched me to the limit.
And finally, what would you
like to bite into?
Hmmm, i t would have to be a
frui t tar t .