Interview: Sagarika Ghatge aka Preeti Shabarwal of Chak De! India

‘I have to prove myself now’

She is young and she is sexy. That is how everyone remembers Sagarika Ghatge aka Preeti Shabarwal of Chak De! India. The actress is back with her second film Fox and has a number of projects to boast. Sagarika speaks to Ritesh Sharma on her films and more.

Two years is a long gap and everyone had been waiting to see Preeti Shabarwal.

I know, I know, I have kept everyone waiting. (Laughs). This is something that everyone has been asking me for a while now. I really appreciate this…the love everyone has given me and now the wait is over.

But isn’t two years really a long time?

See, it was a planned decision. I took my time and then took the decisions. Just because Chak De! India was a runaway hit that doesn’t mean I will go on a film-signing spree. I was very conscious about that and didn’t want to make any mistakes. I could have easily been carried away but that would have been too risky. I waited for the right role and Fox is one I thought would do good to my career.

Okay, tell me did you keep getting offers for all sports based movies?

(Laughs again) Even I thought I would be getting offers to play sports woman but luckily that didn’t happen. I really feared getting stereotyped. Chak De! India was a great film and it has done a lot to my career but I can’t always cash on that.

But don’t you think that the tag will remain attached to your image for a while now?

Of course it will. I know the audiences still identify me with Preeti Shabarwal and I don’t mind that. I am rather proud that I was part of such a huge film, which will even go down in history. At the same time I know I can’t keep on carrying on with that tag. The audience too is intelligent enough and I don’t think they will expect another Preeti Shabarwal or another role of a hockey player.

You have been lucky too.

Of course I am. There are very few who get such good debuts. In fact all the 13 girls have been lucky.

But only Chitrashi Rawat and you have managed to get good films after that.

I don’t think it that way. We all had equal screen time and screen presence. Chitrasahi’s films have released before the others. Now my films start releasing. It’s only that the others are still waiting and their films too will release some or the other time sooner or later. Moreover, all the girls didn’t want to pursue acting and those who didn’t are doing well in life.

So how much has life changed for you in these two years?

(Smiles) Completely. It is no more what it used to be. I never thought that I would be here one day. I was a simple girl, going to college everyday and happy with my friends. Now it’s that I am either reading scripts or shooting. It has definitely changed and I am enjoying every bit of my life. At the same time I know that it’s now a new battle. All eyes will be on me and one mistake can actually push me back by miles. I need to prove to the audiences now that I am also a good actress.

Okay, do you keep in touch with Shah Rukh Khan?

Well, he is really busy and big but he is also a great human being. We do exchange occasional SMSes.

So are you nervous now that your second film is releasing?

Not really but I am actually keeping my fingers crossed. I waited for two years and now since everyone will be expecting something good from me I want to live up to the expectations. It has been a long wait and Fox is one film I think that has again a very author backed role for me.

In fact you play a lawyer?

Yes, again something unusual but it’s the story that was so appealing. I play Urvashi Sharma, a lawyer, who is very focused and gives her best to win a lawsuit. It’s a thriller and has a very gripping storyline. I am paired opposite Arjun Rampal and the film is about a lawsuit.

So you are playing Arjun Rampal’s love interest. Do we get to see you finally singing and dancing too?

(Ummm… thinks) Actually, I can’t give out too much about the story since it’s a thriller but for sure my role is not of a lover girl. There are songs but it’s not that I am only the hero’s love interest and keepings singing and dancing all the time.

You have also been lucky to have films with heroes who are not only big but also seasoned.

That’s why I always intended to do or I could have actually did so many films in this last two years. Here there’s Arjun who is a star now after Rock On!! and Sunny Deol is one of the finest actors the industry has ever seen.

Your third film Raftaar 24×7 too releases soon?

It’s opposite Emraan Hashmi and a completely different film. I always wanted to do roles that had variety and so far I have got all these films. There’s a lot now that I am being offered and I hope I live up to the expectations of the audience.