'A woman can be in love with two men at a time': Chitrangada

When we met this sexy siren, she seemed disturbed. She is peeved with the constant rumours linking her with the much older director Sudhir Mishra. “Negative rumors absolutely upset me. Sudhir found me, he got me here and we have a rapport. Everybody is entitled to their camps and friends in the industry. Rumours are upsetting but not to the extent that I will stop working with Sudhir. I will work with him in every film that he offers, definitely. Though all these rumours can make you feel silly and a little awkward."

Chitrangada will be seen in four films this year which includes Desi Boyz with Akshay Kymar and also Rockstar. Her first release of the year is Sudhir Mishra’s Yeh Saali Zindagi. “When I heard the script of Yeh Saali Zindagi for the first time, what really struck me was that there was not just the hero’s but also the bad guy’s love story. And even his love story is as beautiful.” She adds, “None of the character of this film are extreme - nobody is too bad or too good. The character that I am playing is also not just nice. She makes use of the guy who loves her to get the man she likes. She takes undue advantage of love that Irrfan has for her.”

In her earlier film with Sudhir Mishra, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi she played a similar character and a difficult role. She says, “From a male's perspective, a woman has to be a certain way - she can’t be in love with two men. I think the truth is something else. And I think if you have certain amount of honesty and sincerity to match with the character you are playing, the character becomes more acceptable. All the characters that I have played till date are emotionally vulnerable and that adds to the character. Your pain and actual predicament becomes more acceptable. I do identify with the character that I am playing in Yeh Saali Zindagi.” She adds, “It’s very natural for anybody to fall in and out of love. Let’s not judge people. There is no emotion which is justified if it is demanded of you. How can that be good if it can’t be true? What works is the truth - whether good or bad.”

There is a general perception that married actresses have shorter shelf life...Chitrangada disagrees. She says, “It’s not been true for me. I think we underestimate the audience and the industry. Society has changed and it’s reflecting in bollywood as well. If you are desirable you are. Period. Then it doesn't matter if you are married or divorced. And if you are performing well, it will work for you. The whole idea that a woman has to be virginal for a man to come and watch her has anyway gone out of the window."