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TAKE TWO

`Today, being different is the in-thing'

Actors Neha Dhupia and Sushma Reddy's take on being today's heroine

PHOTO: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.

HOW COOL ARE WENeha and Sushma may ooze attitude, but they admit that the audience has the ultimate say in their success

When it comes to actresses sharing the screen, is two a crowd? No, you would think, if you saw Sushma Reddy and Neha Dhupia together. The ladies, who believe that anything "different" sells in today's world, did their promos differently — they sold tickets at the counters for the premiere!

The ever-smiling, Sushma, a former Channel (V) VJ, started her filmi career with "Chocolate". The face of several ads, she has featured in Sonu Nigam's video of Deewana.

Neha Dhupia won the Miss India title (2002) and went on to model for Reebok, AirTel, National and Mitsubishi Lancer. But she was crowned a sex symbol when she played the role of a hooker in "Julie". Neha has acted in several films, but nothing brought her the obvious attention that "Julie" did. The actresses were bowled over by laugh-riot creator Priyan sir (director Priyadarshan of "Hera Pheri" fame) and all conversation revolved around him and their latest film "Chup Chup Ke".

Bhumika K. tuned in.

Neha: I don't think it's funny doing a comedy film

Sushma: It's one of the hardest things to do.

Neha: You should get your timing right. But you know when you get it right. You invariably have 70 people on the set judging you. And if you can make these technicians — seriously involved in their work — laugh, then you've grabbed their attention. So, that's your test. But the question is whether you will pass or not when it comes to the big screen. That's what matters most.

Sushma: And it's interesting because with this film, everyone has already assumed it's a comedy. But Chup Chup Ke is actually a family drama, embroiled in a comic situation. There are many misunderstandings and it's a love-meets-confusion-meets-love story, as the tagline says.

Neha: Kareena (Kapoor) and Sushma are there for the love; I'm just there for the confusion!! (More laughing) You're dealing with a director who is sensitive and sensible and this is one of his few films where it's all coming together to be a family entertainer, not just a comic caper.

Sushma: Priyan sir knows how to present his women. He doesn't like anything over the top. No overacting. Women are pivotal to this film.

Neha: Often, the audience is mistaken that comedy is about the person who's cracking the joke. It's also about whom the joke is on. So it's about whether the women are there in the film because the joke is on them... I've done a couple of films like Kya Cool Hai Hum and Garam Masala. It makes you realise what serious business comedy is.

Sushma: The hardest thing is to make people laugh.

Neha: Trying to make people laugh is not about the level you need to achieve as an actor. Today, "stress" being the new word everybody's caught on, people come to the movies for entertainment. To make them laugh, get them involved — it's an expectation you have to live up to. And when you don't, people just turn around and say, `But you were not that funny'. Funny again is relative.

Sushma: This is only my second film and I've realised that comedy has to do with the chemistry you share with your co-star — it can lift a scene or kill it. The camera doesn't lie. <15,4m,,0>

Neha: Yeah, it picks the smallest thing and makes it look like the largest thing on screen. What do you think of being part of a large star cast?

Sushma: Everything depends on who is making the film. It's hard enough to manage two actors on a set. But Priyan sir always takes on entire ensembles at one stretch. His set-ups are perfect and there is discipline. All his characters are well-etched and everyone is there for a reason. You know where you stand. It's not the same with other ensemble filmmakers.

Neha: I would agree. An ensemble cast has to complement one another. And if the package works, everyone gains.

Sushma: In a 14-strong cast, when the script is king, the characters propel it.

Neha: It's about doing different things. What's the fun of being an actor if I want to be paired with the same hero every time, and doing the same thing every day? I want to wake up and be a dentist on Monday, a housewife on Tuesday, an airhostess on Wednesday — there's no other profession that allows you to do different things every day. And why not take advantage of that? Well, don't you think it is a good time to be in Bollywood?

Sushma: Oh yes! It's a great time.

Neha: If it weren't for new-age cinema and the fact that people are doing both big budget and small budget, there wouldn't be place for people like us in the industry. Everyone's thinking of the day after tomorrow, not even tomorrow. We don't epitomise the regular Hindi film heroine.

Sushma: Absolutely.

Neha: I mean look at us! We are so much cooler, aren't we?

Sushma: I don't think I would have taken this plunge into cinema. Now there's so much more scope. Rang De Basanti is the best example. I don't think the film would have done that well even three years ago. Today, "different" is in.

Neha: There was a time when people said you had to have big heroes and big money. People used to take pride in spending Rs. 50 crore on a film. Today, it's about what you can produce in that much budget and showing your abilities in that much less. There's place today for everybody — Sushma, Kareena, and me. (Announces with a deadpan face... ) But this is not a call for other young beautiful talented women. Please don't join the industry or we won't have any work left. (Both laugh)

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