It's a challenge to match Govinda's comic timing: Lara Dutta

Oct 7, 2007 Subhash K Jha

Mumbai, Oct 7 (IANS) Lara Dutta is on a high. After the success of "Partner", she is starring alongside Govinda in Ravi Chopra's new film. The pretty actress feels that she is finally taking the right steps to further her career.

"I'm making the right career moves. I've taken the necessary steps. I realize people will perceive you the way your perceive yourself. I guess a sense of maturity has crept into my attitude to work," Lara told IANS in an interview.

She feels lucky that she is getting the opportunity to work with senior actors.

"It's a great challenge to match comic timing with Govinda. I think it's a huge compliment to my abilities when they come to me with roles alongside stalwarts like Boman Irani, Paresh Rawal and Govinda," the actress said.

However, she claims she has no friends in Bollywood.

"You suddenly realize that there are no friends out here. Everyone is here to do his or her work," Lara said.

Excerpts from the interview:

After being Salman's co-star in "Partner", you're paired with Govinda in Ravi Chopra's film. How does it feel?

I'm shooting for "Partner" right now. I feel I'm stuck in a twilight zone between "Jhoom Baraabar" and "Partner" because I've got Rajpal Yadav and Govinda as my co-stars in Raviji's film. I play Marisa Tomei's Oscar-winning role from "My Cousin Vinny", which they're adapting. It's a great challenge to match comic timing with Govinda. I think it's a huge compliment to my abilities when they come to me with roles alongside stalwarts like Boman, Paresh and Govinda.

How do you react to stories like the one about you being linked with a married man like Bobby Deol?

Of course it affected me. But two days earlier I was being accused of going out with my other co-star in the same film (Abhishek Bachchan) while his fiancée was with him. How much will I protest? After writing about my link ups they've moved on to others for now, and that's a relief. I realize the media persons are only doing their job. I'm not here to judge anybody. But with the job comes a certain amount of responsibility. That, I see is on the decline.

Your career is on the upswing. The latest rumour doing the rounds is that you've been offered a role in Karan Johar's production featuring Abhishek. Is it tru?

Not true. This offer never came to me. But Inshan Allah, I'm making the right career moves. I've taken the necessary steps. I realize people will perceive you the way your perceive yourself. I guess a sense of maturity has crept into my attitude to work.

Like avoiding walk-on parts for the sake of friends?

Yeah. You suddenly realize that there are no friends out here. Everyone is here to do his or her work.

"Devdas" will be your first film with Pritish Nandy Communications?

There were talks for others films. Do you know Mr. Nandy was one of the judges when I won the Miss India crown?

Did he ask you the crucial question that clinched the crown for you?

No, Waheeda Rehmanji did. I think that's a sign. Though I'm perceived more as Zeenat Aman from the outside I am more Waheedaji from inside. But I'm not complaining. I'm very happy to be where I am.

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