Rimi is tired of doing silly roles

Sep 3, 2008 Subhash K Jha

Mumbai, Sep 3 (IANS) Bollywood actress Rimi Sen says she is tired of doing comedies and wants to diversify now, but the big banners don't give her a chance to showcase her talent and offer only inconsequential roles in their movies.

"That's all I get offered. Or some thrillers that are as thrilling as a visit to the dentist. I'm rather tired of doing comedies," Rimi, who was recently seen "De Taali", told IANS.

"Even my forthcoming films 'Sankat City', 'Horn OK Please' and 'Shaagird' feature me in the comic vein. Incidentally I've a very small role in 'Shaagird'," she said.

Rimi wants to work in prestigious production houses with big-name heroes.

"But in such set-ups I'm getting utterly inconsequential roles. So I'd rather work with promising relatively small but talented directors like E. Niwas, Sriram Raghavan or the guy who directed 'Aamir' (Rajkumar Gupta). He has been praised so much," she said.

The actress had a brief role in "Dhoom 2" opposite Abhishek Bachchan.

"Yes, that was a special appearance for the sake of continuity from the first part to the sequel. Please don't ask me why I wasn't billed as a guest appearance. I've no clue how big banners work," said Rimi, who was seen in "Dhoom" as well.

Speaking of her highly unorthodox role as the gold-digging innocent-faced woman in "De Taali", Rimi said: "E. Niwas was very clear about how he wanted me to play the character. He told me to stop being Rimi Sen and become Kartika as long as the film was being shot. I took it from there.

"Although I played the seductive women, I was determined not to make her conspicuously stylised. That would've looked like I was fishing to do some scene-stealing."

Asked about the hyena-like giggle that she uses in "De Taali", she said: "That's how I laugh in real life. I thought it wouldn't go with the character. But later I decided to incorporate it into my character to make her seem more human."

Though she featured as Abhishek's suspicious wife in "Dhoom" and its sequel, not much is known about Rimi.

"That's because I'm from Kolkata and I've practically no friends in the film industry in Mumbai."

"I don't attend parties or filmy events. I'd feel very foolish and fake if I've to go and socialise with those very people with whom I share a cordial working relationship on the sets."

Rimi believes friendships aren't possible in the entertainment industry.

"Then why pretend? Equations change here according to opportunity. I'd rather do my work and come home."

But she did bond rather well with Riteish Deshmukh during "De Taali".

"He's a sweetheart. I can say he's one friend that I've made in the three years that I've been in the industry," said Rimi whose first feature film was Ravi Chopra's "Baghban".

"I did that just for a lark. Earlier, I had done a cola ad with Aamir Khan. That's how I got noticed."

Experiences with filmmakers, she said, have been okay so far.

"Nothing to write home about. And I'm not the kind to go asking for a role unless I'm deeply impressed by a director's work. It's not that I'm not ambitious. But not at the cost of my self-respect."