She has made her niche in Bollywood through some memorable characters and ensured that she doesn’t play the sidekick. Actress Chitrangada Singh prefers to read scripts carefully before signing a film and likes to take up only selective roles. “I want to do as many variety of roles as possible and try out every possible genre from comedies to thrillers,” she says.
The actress will next be seen playing the female protagonist in Sudhir Mishra’s ambitious project 'Pehle Aap Janab'. The film — also starring Bollywood biggies including Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor — has reportedly been inordinately delayed and is expected to release only by next year. “The film was earlier titled 'Mehrunissa' but now has been changed to 'Pehle Aap Janab'. However, the reworked script also revolves around my character 'Mehrunissa'. It is about two buddies played by Big B and Rishi Kapoor, who meet after forty years, and how the presence Mehrunissa’s character peps up their lives. It is a kind of romantic comedy,” shares the actress, who was in the capital to launch the fitness campaign, Gear Up Buddies, for Jabong.com and Puma.
Chitrangada is generally tagged as the ‘thinking man’s muse’, due to her unconventional looks and dignified persona. Talking about the equation she shares with her mentor and filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, she puts forth, “I started my career with 'Hazaaron Khwaishein' Aisi directed by Sudhir. He understands his actors well and his directing sensibilities are remarkable. Women characters in his films belong to contemporary times and he knows how to bring the best out of his actors.”
Apart from regularly playing outdoor sports, Chitrangada is a fitness freak. “I used to play golf, even before I got married. My father was in the Army, so we grew up playing and following outdoor sports regularly. I am also quite good at tennis. I follow no strict diet regime but I like to make the most of my free time by learning kickboxing. It is not just fun, but also helps in toning my body, cutting flab and staying in shape.”
The actress could now also be a part of Mahesh Manjrekar’s next film where, reportedly, Salman Khan will be playing a key role. “Mahesh has approached me for his directorial venture. I might go ahead with the film but it is too early to talk about it,” says the actress.
Tight-lipped about her personal life, Chitrangada says, “I understand we are public figures and people want to know more about our personal lives. But quite often, what we share is either misrepresented or wrongly put before the audience, so I like to stay away from questions dealing with private details,” she puts forth concluding that ‘personal queries’ are what her interviews are mostly flooded with.
