How do you feel after making a comeback in Bollywood after years?
I will not say it’s my comeback film. I was on maternity leave. I mean, if a woman working at PVR gets pregnant and takes a leave and then joins after sometime, you won’t say she had made a comeback to PVR…will you? You can’t call joining your job a comeback. Similarly, I would like to consider myself as a professional and my job is acting. I had taken a sabbatical and now I am back to work.
What are your expectations from Dangerous Ishq?
It’s a very special moment for me…we all have worked really, really hard on locations, dialects, scenes, costume, make-up. I have enjoyed myself thoroughly working in Dangerous Ishq and I won’t change it for anything. I don’t know what will be the fate of the movie, but a lot has gone into its making…hope people will like it.
What took you so long to return to your job?
Three-four years ago Vikram (Bhatt) narrated me a subject. And honestly, at that time I didn’t want to work because I had a small daughter (Samaira) and my priority in life was my kids…and obviously, it still is. Being a mom is the most important thing to me and my children; my family tops my priority list. But now that they (Samaira and son Kiaan Raj Kapoor) are growing up, I thought why not get back to work.
The media, fans, family and friends…all people around me were pressing me and saying ‘Come on, now you must do a movie’. In 2010, I started going through scripts. By the grace of God, I got quite a few subject, but I was not getting the right feel for which I would leave home, my kids and step inside the studio.
What made you say ‘yes’ to Dangerous Ishq?
Vikram met me again and narrated me Dangerous Ishq. After hearing the script, I thought ‘Now this is something I have not done so far’. I myself was genuinely intrigued by the story. There were two of my very good friends with me at that time (I will tell their names to you after the film releases). They came up to me and said ‘Now if you don’t do this movie, we are not going to talk to you’. The script moved me and I felt it would take me to a different level as an actor.
Do you think you can visit your past through hypnosis like that shown in Dangerous Ishq?
Yes I do. I personally did not go through it in real life as I was too scared to know about my past life.
How did you prepare yourself for the scenes in the film then?
I spoke to a lot of friends who tried past hypnosis and have also done research on the subject. I chatted with them to know what they felt, what emotions they underwent…and trust me, it was pretty amazing.
Is Dangerous Ishq a bold film?
First tell me what do you mean by bold? (Laughs). Dangerous Ishq is a bold film because we are dealing with a subject which is not typical in a Bollywood movie. Here we are talking about tarot card reader, past life regression and reincarnation. The woman’s journey in the movie itself is a bold experience. She invests herself in a journey to know certain answers to her questions.
Do you believe in blind love in real life too?
Well, genuinely, I do feel love is blind. (TWF