INTERVIEW WITH MEGHNA NAIDU - II

Who : Meghna Naidu
About : Actress, Model in popular remixes like Kaliyon Ka Chaman
Website: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1614895/

How it happened : Interview with Meghna Naidu
Interview Date: July, 2003
Place: Bahrain
Pics:Interview Pics

Nikhil Taneja (NT) : Tell us something about your background and your modeling days
Meghna Naidu (MN) : Basically, I used to be a tennis player. I always wanted to play tennis. I even coached tennis for 4 years in the USA. And other than that, modeling used to be a time pass thing for me… just to earn some extra pocket money. It wasn’t anything much. I never really took it seriously. I did the modeling bit when I was in college. I had never ever thought of taking it up seriously.

NT : Talking about tennis, have you played at the state level or was it just a hobby ?
MN : No. Actually, it was in my family. My dad and my uncle had been playing tennis since they were born, probably (chuckles). They were born holding racquets in their hands(giggles)! That’s why my parents had always been pushing me for it. They wanted somebody in the Naidu family to play tennis. Because no one else wanted to play tennis in our family after them and it was just me they could make a bakra of (laughs). But I personally enjoyed the game. So that’s why I enjoyed learning it and later coaching it.

NT : 2003 has seen some of your South Indian movies receive good reviews. How did they come about?
MN : South Indian films, were quite a shock to my family, not to me. That is because my family always thought that I was one of those shy girls and wouldn’t talk to anybody or do anything confident…something like movies. No one could have thought of me doing movies.

Once I was attending the wedding of my cousin brother. He has a couple of producer and director friends. So they just happened to ask him whether she would be interested in doing a movie. And my parents laughed. That was their first reaction. They were like, ‘Movies ! She ! No way !’ But the producers said that I could just come for an audition. It was in Hyderabad. So I went, I did it and they asked whether I was seriously interested in doing a movie. I thought why not ! Let’s just give it a try. I thought ki agar hit hua to hit hua, otherwise I always have something to fall back on. And that’s how it happened. And my first movie was a hit. So there is no looking back after that (chuckles) !

NT : You came into instant recognition after the music video, Kaliyon Ka Chaman. How did it happen ?
MN : This happened last year, when I was back after shooting for my Telegu film. I had come down to Mumbai to take a break. Universal was looking out for a girl for the Kaliyon ka Chaman video. Now, one of my friends wanted to go and audition for this. So she was like, ‘Oh ! You are doing nothing. So why don’t you just come. We’ll have fun. We’ll see what’s happening.’ And I went with her. She gave the audition, and I got talking to a couple of Universal people. They happened to ask me what I do and where I am from and everything. So I told them that I acted in south Indian films. They asked if I had my pictures with me. I gave them my pictures and they said that if they have any auditions or screen tests for which I could be considered, they would let me know. And it happened after 10 days. They called me up after ten days, saying that they were still looking for a girl to do the music video and asked me if I would be interested in doing a screen test for it. And I just went, without thinking about anything seriously. And it just happened.(giggles) I got selected !

NT : So it came as a surprise to you ?
MN : It was a surprise, yes. Because I hadn’t ever dreamed of doing a music video. That was not what I was focusing on basically. I was pretty happy doing my Telegu and Kannada films. But then again, this is what life is..(chuckles)!

NT : How would you contrast your life before the video and after it ?
MN : Before the video I was a girl who had this very carefree attitude of sorts. I would just walk on roads wearing any kind of clothes, you know(smiles), wouldn’t bother for my looks or anything. But now, after the video, I am a little conscious of my looks. You know how it is in the glamour industry. And of course, the recognition, meeting so many people. It’s so different ! Before the video, my life was very boring. It was limited to going to the tennis courts and coming back and that’s it(giggles). But now it’s quite fun!

NT : So now tennis has been put to the backseat ?
MN : Exactly. Yeah. Actually, there is no backseat...there is no seat at all for tennis(laughs)! But definitely, my future again sees me playing tennis.

NT : How is it that you haven’t done any more music videos after Kaliyon Ka Chaman ?
MN : See, after Kaliyon ka Chaman, people started expecting a lot from me. I mean, I did a music video after Kaliyon ka chaman, one with Hans Raj Hans, but see, no one knows about it. And once I did that, everyone was like, ‘Arre! Why did you do this ?’ And I was scared. I was like, no, I should not take up random offers. I should wait a while, wait for a right song, the right people to work with and then do a video. And that’s what has helped me, you know. I haven’t taken any risk as such. Since Kaliyon Ka Chaman has come to such a height, if I do one wrong song, it’s gonna go down. People are again gonna pull it down ! Because, for every 10 goods, one bad is enough to spoil the image ! So that’s why I didn’t do any video as such after that. But of course, if in future, I get some music video, which has a great song, which I thing is going to create a sensation, then yeah, I am going to do it(chuckles).

NT : You are now ready to hit Bollywood with your debut movie, Shock, co starring some of the hottest models on the block. How did the movie take place ?
MN : After Kaliyon ka chaman, I got a lot of offers for Hindi movies. I still have a lot of scripts at home, which I am going through. But Mr.Karan Razdan happened to meet me once through a common friend. And he told me that he was planning to do a movie. He just gave me a brief overview of the story. And I was like, ‘Wow! That would be the kind of movie I would like to do!’. And he was like, ‘I am anyway looking for a girl like you. I didn’t ask you because I had read in your earlier interviews that you didn’t want to do films and everything’. That’s why he was hesitant to ask me. But I said that it was the kind of role I would want to play any day.

The role I play in this movie is that of a married woman. It’s a very bold movie, taking on reality issues in a bold kind of way. It might fall into a lot of controversy. But it’s a very big risk that we have taken. There are Tarun Tahiliani and Aryan Vaid in this movie as the heroes. We got three guys and this one girl in this movie(giggles).

NT : So what kind of a movie is it ?
MN : It’s about this married couple. It’s about an upper class and a middle class family. It’s not even families. It’s basically about the upper class attitude and the middle class thinking. This girl is from a middle class family. She basically gets wooed by him. He sends her flowers, he sends her gifts and everything. And she thinks she loves him. But that’s not the case. And he happens to one of the Tata’s or Birla’s in the movie. And then there are clashes. What happens when these two classes meet. It’s about how the middle class is the middle class, no matter how rich she gets or he gets by the end of the day. That’s what we have tried to portray. Now this is where the controversy can be about. The upper class might hammer this movie, for all we know(laughs). Basically, we have said quite a few things openly about classes.

NT : You have been refusing numbers in Bollywood movies before this. Didn’t you think they would have boosted your prospects in Bollywood, citing an example of Isha Koppikar ?
MN : I think Isha Koppikar is quite talented in herself. But I never looked at song that way. I basically got into the industry, thinking nothing about acting. But when I got into the industry, that would be the south Indian industry and movies, that’s when I started taking acting seriously. And today, I am at a point where I want to do some serious acting, you know. Songs will come, songs will go. Of course, if there is a very good song down the lane, I don’t mind doing it. But I have never concentrated on that.

NT : You even refused E.Niwas for Dum, and it zoomed Yana Gupta into the limelight..
MN : Yeah. In fact, even today when I meet E. Niwas, he goes like, ‘Bahut galat kiya gana nahin karke. Look at Yana Gupta now.’ But then again, I am quite happy for her. It was probably written in her fate. Because E. Niwas did ask me at least 4 times to do ‘Babuji zara dheere chalo’. He pestered me continuously but I always said no. So he said okay fine. But he still wants me to do a song in one of his movies. So he was like ‘We’ll see in the next movie now’(laughs). So let’s see. It basically depends on when I feel it’s the right time. I mean, when I want to do it, I would just go out and do it. I would rather lose out on 10 things than regret.

NT : You have been doing quite a few stage shows, like the one at the Indian Telly Awards show. How have you taken to getting used to the audience’s terrific reception ?
MN : The first time I did a stage show, I forgot all my steps on stage. So I ended up doing just the opposite of what my dancers were doing behind. But still, the audience’s reaction hit me! I mean, I was doing rubbish on stage and still, the audience reacted so very well. So I said, this is the best thing. Direct eye contact with the audience, the direct appreciation feels pretty good. You know, you basically get to know right then and there whether they like you or not. Now, I have completed 68 shows(!!!) in a span of one year. I really like doing stage shows. I love performing in front of a live audience. I just finished a tour with Asha Bhosle and Adnan Sami for two months in UK, USA, Canada and the West Indies.

NT : That must have been fun for sure. Sharing the stage with two great artistes..
MN : I basically would never even would have dreamed of sharing the stage with Asha Bhosleji and Adnan Sami. And till the last moment I was like, ‘Wow! Are you serious I am going ?!’. I had the passport and the ticket in my hand and I still couldn’t believe it. My dad would be like, ‘See the tickets have come. The visa has come.’ And I would be like, ‘Dad, don’t joke !’ (laughs). At my first show in the US, I goofed up a lot(giggles). I was compering the show as well. The tension I had on my head was way too much for me. I was thinking all the time of what Ashaji and Adnan Sami would say (laughs). But of course, I had the best time ever. I think no other model from a music video has got such a great chance till date. And I do hope everyone does get a chance like that !

NT : Are you now looking for only an acting career or do you have other plans in mind ?
MN : Right now, for the time being, I am looking for an acting career. Movies are in the pipeline. But, as you know, this is just a temporary thing. Acting or modeling. They are there temporarily. They can be continued for 5 years, 10 years or 15 years at the maximum. But of course I have my other plans also. I wanna study further.

NT : So are you going to be concentrating more up north or down south ?
MN : Both, I should say so. I like the south because we finish shooting for the heroine’s part in about a month’s time, which is not very long. And of course, they pay very well(giggles). In the north, in Bollywood, I would continue too, because of the fame, you know. I mean, there, people are recognized. So to balance both money and name and fame, I would do both (laughs).

NT : As an actress, which kind of director would you like to work with and what kind of movies would you like to be doing ?
MN : As an actress, I would like to work with any kind of director. Because an actress is going to do what he wants you to do. So any director is fine. But definitely, I would like to work with Madhur Bhandarkar or Nagesh Kukunoor. They are those kind of directors who make small but good movies.

NT: So you wouldn’t like to work with any of those Bollywood bigwigs in their mushy love stories ?
MN : See, everybody does those kind of films. But, I don’t know. I have never seen myself doing such roles. I can only see myself doing roles like a Tabu might do in Chandni Bar, or like a Hyderabad Blues or one of these kind of movies.

NT : Funnily, any Bollywood wannabe would love to do a movie with Yash Chopra or Madhur Bhandarkar. But if you listen to her talking about doing movies with Madhur Bhandarkar or Nagesh Kukunoor, it comes pretty much as a surprise !
MN : Yeah, see, that’s what I am saying. Anyone would like to do a movie with Yash Chopra or Subhash Ghai. But basically, Madhur Bhandarkar has won so many national awards for one movie of his. I like the way he treats the film. I like the way he portrays a woman in his films. I like the way he handles a situation in the film. I loved the way Tabu dressed in a sari with no make up on. That’s how I would like to act in a movie. These movies are those which portray the truth. That’s what’s happening. That’s what happens in any part of the world. But films like K3G, though they are 100% very very good films, no doubts, that’s what happens in any other film. It happens in any other film. But these kind of movies show everything very naturally. Some mannerisms, or something which happens in everyday life, which people don’t really shown on screen, are what these people show. Like Raveena’s Tondon’s role in Satta is something which hit me. I would like to do something on those lines. Of course, if I get a chance to work in a Yash Chopra movie, then why not (chuckles)? But, this is what I am aiming for.

NT : Between acting, modeling or performing, which form of entertainment interests you the most and why, at this point of stage ?
MN : At this point of stage, it would be acting and performing. Modeling was always a secondary thing for me. But acting is one thing which I really love. And as for performing, I love it too. I am basically a performer.

YT : Lastly, How would you like to see yourself 10 years from now?
MN : Married, with probably a kid (laughs). Just joking ! Of course, I might be married(laughs) but I don’t know about the kid part. I might still be in the industry and if I am not in the industry, I am not going to be crying about it. I am probably going to be doing something related to sports or related to my house maybe ! I could just be a housewife(giggles). I don’t know what I am gonna be doing in the next 10 minutes ! So I definitely don’t know what I am gonna be doing in the next 10 years ! But whatever it is, I am going to be happy (giggles) !

© Nikhil Taneja (nikhiltaneja@gmail.com)