My ‘Action Replayy’ role wasn’t bad when offered: Neha Dhupia

MUMBAI - Actress Neha Dhupia is seen in an insignificant role in director Vipul Shah’s just released “Action Replayy”, but the actress dismisses it saying the part wasn’t that bad when it was offered to her. She is more excited about her next release where she plays a dacoit.

“It happens. May be it wasn’t so bad when it was offered to me. But in any case it was a guest appearance. Vipul is a friend and I did it for him. It was a very friendly appearance,” Neha, 30, told IANS in an interview.

The former Miss India is now looking forward to the release of “Phas Gaya Re Obama”, slated for a Nov 26 release. Neha has donned the role of a dacoit, Munni Madam, in the film directed by Subhash Kapoor and believes doing such challenging characters gives a new dimension to any actress.

“I never imagined playing the part. It was only his faith. It’s a very challenging role and I thought there are so many actresses who have the potential to play the part. It gives a new dimension to any female actor.

“But he (the director) wanted me to do it and then we got into rehearsals. I think that I am very urban, a city girl. Once I got into this, I started thinking apart. I don’t know what started playing in my mind,” said Neha.

“Phas Gaya Re Obama” is a comedy film set against the backdrop of global recession that originated in the US.

“I am not the heroine of the film. I am one of the boys, the hero of the film. It’s literally like that. I played a male part in a female form,” she added.

Apart from acting, Neha also makes her singing debut with the film and she doesn’t rule out the possibility of lending her voice in future.

“I had to just rap four lines. It was blown out of proportion by the media. I had said no to this song, but my director was insistent as he wanted a husky voice. And so it happened. I took six hours to finish it.

“I am always a kind of person who pushes the envelope. You will never see me doing the same thing. So if it’s a rap this time, that doesn’t mean I will sing; and just because it’s a rap, it also doesn’t mean I won’t sing,” said Neha.

Would she cut a music album too?

“I don’t have patience to scratch a CD. I think my biggest struggle in being a musician would be sitting in a closed studio.”

After her crowning as a beauty queen in 2002, Neha donned the grease paint and forayed into movies with 2003 Ajay Devgn-starrer “Qayamat: City Under Threat”. After that she was seen in controversial films “Julie” and “Sheesha” as well as commercial hits like “Kyaa Kool Hai Hum”, “Garam Masala”, “Singh Is Kinng” and “Shootout at Lokhandwala”.

She also tried her hand in non-commercial movies like “Delhii Heights”, “Mithya” and “Ek Chalis Ki Last Local”.

The actress, who has experimented with both mainstream and off-beat movies simultaneously, believes one should not miss any opportunity to show one’s acting skills.

“The fun part of being an actor is that I get different roles. I am lucky. And most importantly, I feel I should attempt everything now. You have one life, one career and very few choices - if you are not going to make the most of it, then there is really no fun in what I do,” said Neha.

(Dibyojyoti Baksi can be contacted at dibyojyoti.b@ians.in)