Kangana craves typical Bollywood fare

Mumbai, May 20 (IANS) Newcomer Kangana Ranaut, the curly-haired moll in "Gangster", yearns to work with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and romance her favourite actors Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan on screen.

"I want to do all the conventional things, like sing songs and romance my three favourite actors," Kangana told IANS.

"But right now both my debut and post-debut films have given me tough, serious and no-nonsense characters to play," said Kangana, whom Bhansali remembers as a timid well-behaved girl who had dropped in to ask for work.

She has bagged rave reviews for her performance as a mobster's angst-ridden moll in Anurag Basu's "Gangster", a role even seasoned artistes would quake to take on.

She said: "I don't know where it came from. But I must tell you that Basu held my hand and led me through the amazingly complex life of my character - Simran.

"I could have never done it on my own. Anurag cried every tear that I have shed in the film. He raged when Simran raged. He screamed in protest against life's injustices every time my character was pushed around. I couldn't have hoped for a better learning experience than this."

Mahesh Bhatt had initially rejected Kangana, who allegedly plays mobster Abu Salem's girlfriend Monica Bedi in "Gangster", for his film "Zehar".

"That's right," she said. "I had auditioned for 'Zehar', but I never heard from them. Then I bumped into Anurag at the Marriott and he offered me 'Gangster'.

"Now I am doing another film with the Bhatts - 'Woh Lamhe' - which Mohit Suri is directing. I play Parveen Babi. Believe me this is even tougher than 'Gangster'."

The 19-year-old said: "When I was told we'd be shooting 'Gangster' in Korea, I didn't know what I was getting into. I had no idea of the weather. So I packed my chiffons and georgettes only to realise that it was freezing cold there.

"I was so cold all the time that I couldn't focus on my emoting at all. God knows how it came out right."

The actress in her now craves change.

"I want to do the usual stuff. I am a Kathak dancer and I want to sing and dance. I want to show there is more to me than just the troubled characters I play in 'Gangster' and 'Woh Lamhe'."

Kangana lives alone in Mumbai, away from her businessman father and schoolteacher mother.

"I do miss my parents. Mumbai can get awfully cold. But I have some good friends. They are a blessing. I spend my free time dancing and, of course, watching films featuring my three favourite actors."

Click the Movie button below for more info:
Gangster