I don't want to be accessory in films: Amrita Puri

Feb 14, 2013 IANS

New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS) Be it a 'chick flick' like "Aisha" or a 'bromance' like "Kai Po Che!", actress Amrita Puri doesn't mind being a supporting actor, but says she is careful about staying away from movies in which she just gets to be an "accessory".

"Bollywood continues to be a male-dominated, a hero-centric industry. That is the reason why I have been picky about my roles and prefer to keep gaps in between each film that I do. I don't want to be just an accessory in films, so I must have an integral and meaty role in whatever I get," Amrita told IANS.

Then wasn't choosing a film like "Kai Po Che!", about three male friends, a hard choice?

"It wasn't a hard choice at all! I was more than happy with it because Gattu (Abhishek Kapoor) was on top of my list of the directors I wanted to work with, and then the role is fantastic! I was in no dilemma about this one at all," said the 29-year-old, who played a small town girl in her debut film "Aisha", and was then seen as a housewife in "Blood Money".

In "Kai Po Che!", the big screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's bestseller "The 3 Mistakes Of My Life", she plays sister to Bollywood debutant Sushant Singh Rajput and the love interest of the character essayed by Rajkumar Yadav.

As an actor, Amrita admits it is very comforting that "supporting roles" have a renewed importance in the Hindi film industry.

"The trend has changed. There's a lot more credit given to actors in supporting roles and it is great that the perspective is changing. The response to Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a great case in point.

"It is wonderful that actors who are great at their craft are getting good roles which support the main characters of a film," said Amrita, adding that the trend has also opened gates for newcomers in Bollywood.

She herself doesn't come from a film family, but has a background in theatre. In her free time, she loves to be busy with her plays and she specifically likes to be on her toes travelling here and there.

"I love travelling! I've recently been to Kerala and Goa, and I also love watching movies, reading and I have taken a liking to painting lately," she said.

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Kai Po Che !