It has been two decades since she set foot in the world of glamour and embarked on a serendipitous journey. After winning the coveted title of Miss Universe and reigning the ramp for quite some time, Sushmita Sen took Bollywood by storm and scorched the screen with her presence. But what set her apart from the rest of her ilk was her indelible gusto to live life her way. Her fortitude to become a single mother to two beautiful girls, continues to inspire many people till date. She always marches to her own beat and we heart her for that! While she awaits the release of her upcoming Bengali movie, Nirbaak, Team MissMalini gets up close and personal with the sensuous diva. Excerpts:
Team MissMalini: Your fans have been waiting with bated breath to see you on celluloid. And Nirbaak is going to mark your comeback on screen after a long sabbatical. It also happens to be your debut Bengali film. Your dad must be really happy as he has always wanted to see you in Bengali cinema.
Sushmita Sen: Oh god, the magical word, ‘Nirbaak‘! My dad is the happiest man now. He has come for my shoots in Kolkata and he has heard my dub. Baba is really proud!
Team MM: How special is this movie?
SS: It will always be very special to me. Srijit Mukherji told me, “Nirbaak is not a conventional Bengali film. Its also not a typical love story. It features four love stories and each of them are a far cry from the usual romantic sagas.” If I tell you anything more then maybe Shrijit will kill me. When I read the script for the first time, it all just went over my head. I had to re-read it because his screenplays are brilliant – there’s a lot of subtext. So I watched all his past films and educated myself. I worked with three fabulous Bengali actors – Jisshu Sengupta, Ritwick Chakraborty and Anjan Dutta.
I used to stare at Ritwik when he performed (even though I wasn’t supposed to) because I was just in awe of his acting skills. More than being a debut film, it’s a film that allowed me to do something I had never done – to break all kinds of ideas about acting, it’s just very simply told but beautifully executed. And I have to mention the Director of Photography, Soumik Haldar as he has made this movie look so beautiful in such a tight budget. I’d also like to name our producers, Venkatesh Films.
Team MM: You have previously mentioned that watching Kangana Ranaut in Queen made you miss being in front of the camera…
SS: Yes, and I am happy to be back in front of the camera. It’s like driving, you never forget it. I loved it but I do feel that I have grown up inside… things have changed. I don’t look in the mirror so many times now. It isn’t about whether or not my lipstick is in place anymore. And I was working with a director who was also very clear about this. Nirbaak means ‘speechless’. There are lots of silences in the film. And we are used to lots of dialogue, pages and so much of it takes you a little time to get used to it – that’s where the growing up helps. Because you’re more comfortable with your own silences.
Team MM: And when are we going to see you in a Hindi film?
SS: That’s a very good question! I have been asking myself the same thing. See what’s happened is that I feel very bad when people keep asking me and they’re so excited about it. So I really feel like I owe it to them. But just like Nirbaak, I just feel I need the right people to work with, not just the commercial ones but the RIGHT people. I will definitely be back with a Hindi movie.
Team MM: You’ll be turning 40 this year…
SS: I can’t wait to be 40. I have an image of how I’ll look and who I’d be at 40. I want to be the poster girl who youngsters see and say, “Mama, I’m 20 now but when will I be 40?” At 40 I have this picture of me for which I am now starting to train for, because by November I want to see myself in a bikini!
Team MM: Now, let’s do a quick fun rapid fire.
Firstly, tell us what’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
SS: I have received a few and I like all of them. When I became a mum, everyone said I am a good mother. When I became the ugly duckling-turned-Miss Universe, I was told I was the most beautiful woman and all that. When I fell in love and the man told me, “I couldn’t have gotten luckier, I love the woman you are” – that was a huge compliment. When I did a role that people connected with and said, “You know, I cried with you, I laughed with you, I celebrated with you, I danced with you.” But overall, ‘I love you’, is a huge compliment. Because that’s something I believe that people are not forced, but compelled to say. They don’t say it easily.
Team MM: What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?
SS: Has the building’s lift started working? That’s because my mom is visiting and she has a knee problem.
Team MM: Who would you most want to be stuck in an elevator with
SS: For the longest time I thought it was George Clooney. Now, he got married and all. So let’s move on to Lionel Messi.
Team MM: What was your last purchase?
SS: My last purchase was a Fendi bag – which I really love. It’s a limited edition. Only three pieces made.
Team MM: If you could have any superpower you wanted, which would it be?
SS: In a nutshell – it would be the power to heal.
Team MM: What was the last movie you watched?
SS: Cinderella. I watched it with my younger one. And I think I am a living example of a Cinderella story.
Team MM: If you were stranded on a desert island, what are three items you’d take with you?
SS: A long lasting battery charger, skype/facetime available – to stay in touch with the world till I get tired of it, and lots of seeds so that I can grow the things that I can use to survive on and eat!
Team MM: Lastly, what’s that one thing you love the most about yourself?
SS: I am a good person. I love that about myself.