JOIN US'I never wanted to be a superstar'
Back from a two-month holiday in the US, Asin Thottumkal is busy laughing away reports of her marriage to a non-resident Indian.
“It is amusing to hear these reports. I am surprised. I went to spend quality time with my school friends from Australia and Canada. We flew to New York and then Los Angeles to enjoy our holiday, and now to hear such drivel,” exclaims the actress in a chat with
Metrolife.
Brand endorsements and the Indian Premier League (IPL) campaigns are claiming most of her time now. “Right now I cannot reveal much about the IPL campaigns. They are yet to be broadcast,” she says.
After Khiladi 786, her fans haven’t seen her light up the screen. “Taking movies at a slow pace is a conscious decision that I have taken. I had a packed schedule for the whole of last year. Some of my films even made it to the Rs 100-crore club. But this year I want to concentrate on the characters that I portray on screen. I want to ensure
that they are fleshed out,” she insists.
Haven’t the roles she’s essayed so far challenged her as an actress? “I don’t claim to have done a performance-oriented role that has showcased my capabilities. But I do know that I have given my best to whatever role I have done. The movies that I have done have helped me reach out to my audience. Now it is the time to focus on my abilities as an artiste.”
Quick to add that she has no regrets, she says: “It was a conscious decision, on my part, to do the movies I did. I am lucky that I started my career with popular Bollywood actors. But I have to move forward now and act in films that have strongly etched
characters.”
Is that an invitation for makers of parallel cinema to line up at her door?
“I am not saying that I want to do an offbeat movie. I believe that lines are blurring between commercial and parallel cinema. I want to avail of the chance to do good roles,” she replies.
So, big banner production houses and big ticket actors hold no charm? “Of course they do,” she shoots back. “I cannot leave them behind! They are important to me because luckily I have got good directors, producers and actors from the beginning of my career in Bollywood. I want to continue working with them.”
The move to get the best of both worlds is a throwback to her days in Tamil movies. “I’d always have this approach when doing Tamil films. My approach was to make myself a recognisable face first and then look for roles that satisfy me as an actor. There is no denying the fact that I am making my moves in Bollywood in a similar way,” she
argues.
Tell her that she sounds like a superstar in the making, and she responds with: “I never wanted to be a superstar. I am not that ambitious. I have a target and that is to be good at my work. I constantly ask myself if I am giving my best to my role. Having said that, I want to prove that it is possible to be professional and ensure that all the people working with me are happy.”
Let’s hear it for our very own Ms Congeniality!