Sonali Bendre Interview: Acting can wait!

After judging India’s Got Talent Sonali Bendre feels ‘blessed’ that she never had to face similar judgement in life. The actor in conversation with IBNS correspondent Sreya Basu

How’s the experience of judging the first season of ‘India’s Got Talent’ been?

Oh it was really difficult! India has so much talent that it was difficult to pick just one out of it. More so because there was no age limit and no specific talent to stress on. But it was fun.

Compared to the co-judges –Shekhar Kapur and Kirron Kher, your comments to the performances were quite straight-forward…

Yeah I know…many people even complained that I was rude. But see, it’s no point in falsely praising a performance just because the contestant will feel bad. A bad performance anyway had to be eliminated…so why sugarcoat the pills!

What exactly you were looking for in the acts?

Most people have some talent or the other. But the most important part is to know how to present the talent…an act must have a proper start and an end. An act should be such that it will make me forget everything-that I am tired, hungry, someone waiting for me at home-when it is being performed. That is the one of the main factors why Orissa-based Prince Dance Group won the competition. The way they choreographed and presented episodes from The Mahabharata, was spell-bounding.

If you were to participate in India’s Got Talent, what talent would you showcase?

I am blessed that I didn’t have to face such judgement till date in life. Imagine being judged! It takes lots of guts to showcase your talent to the world. And, then, may be I am not that talented! (Smiles)

Well, you are a talented actor…

Yea, that way I had to face audience judgement every Friday before the release of my film(s).

When are you making a comeback in films?

I am not interested in doing films now. I had the opportunity to show my talent and whatever creative bit I had in films…it was my job. It was happy combination for me because my hobby and my profession were both same –acting. But now I am not planning a comeback in Bollywood.

So you have turned a doting mom?

Every mother is a doting mom…it’s not that I am the only one in the world. But yes, motherhood has made me more patient, I have learnt to let go off things. This way I have become very similar to my mom.

How’s your son Ranvir-naughty?

No no…he is a good child.

You are one of the gorgeous-looking moms in Bollywood. How do you maintain yourself?

It’s strictly the genes that my mother and father have passed out to me. Know what, I am thin, but not fit. I can be fitter.

What kind of food do you enjoy?

I enjoy all kinds of good food. Actually it depends on my mood. I love South Indian food. But I am so allergic to the ‘dal’ (pulse) used in it, that I can’t eat it. That’s the bad part of it.

You are always smiling. Don’t you get angry ever?

There’s many a time when I don’t feel like smiling. I have my moods very strongly.

What do you do when you get angry?

I simply let it out. I shout and shout and get over with it. I can’t keep it inside; once it’s out, it’s over.