'I am a spontaneous actress'

Meaningful roles

Given a choice, though, she would go for period films. “I don’t like to wear a bikini on screen. I thank god that till date I haven't got such roles where I need to wear a bikini because I don't think wearing one will add glamour to the role,” said Raima.

“But if a script comes to me and if it’s really a very, very good script and the role demands, then I will be okay wearing a bikini,” said Raima, who has acted in films like Chokher Bali and Parineeta.

Best known in the industry for her innocent and girl-next-door looks, Raima's beauty has often been compared to that of her grandmother – legendary actress Suchitra Sen. “I feel honoured when people compare my looks with those of my grandmother,” she said.

Raima made her debut in the film industry with a small role in the critically acclaimed Hindi movie Godmother in 1999. But her acting skills were overshadowed by  the presence of Shabana Azmi, who was the main protagonist.

She is open to all kinds of roles and is very keen to feature in period films. “I am open to all kinds of roles and if you ask me about my dream role, then I will say it's period films. I would like to act if there is a remake of any period film,” she said.

When asked to describe herself as an artiste, she said: “I am a spontaneous actress.” Talking about her future projects, she said: “I have a few projects such as Memories, Mirch, Naukadubi, Natobar Not Out.” She is really excited about Mirch and Naukadubi.

Mirch has been directed by Vinay Shukla. The plot of the film revolves around four short stories. Raima features in two of them. Naukadubi, based on a novel by Rabindranath Tagore, is directed by Rituparno Ghosh and is about wife-swapping. Both Raima and her sister Riya will play wives in the film.