Surveen Chawla gets candid

Surveen Chawla, who was last seen in Parched, has had a roller coster journey on the small screen and in Bollywood. In a quick chat, she talks about her love for film over television, her phase of being typecast in bold roles after Hate Story 2, Parched as her turning point and more. Excerpts:

How did Bollywood happen for you in 2011 with Hum Tum Aur Shabana Back then, I was doing films down South, and other offers weren’t really working for me. There was a year when I had absolutely no work. In the meanwhile, I hosted Comedy Circus for a friend. Despite telling him that hosting is not my cup of tea, he insisted, and I took the offer without any idea of where it will take me. Jimmy (Shergill) was producing his first Punjabi film and that’s when he called me and from their Punjabi career started. During my third film there, I shot Ugly. I just did a scene in Hum Tum Aur Shabana as a gesture. T-series saw my footage and called me for Hate Story 2 and post that, I had no work since the film turned out to be an erotic thriller. I received several offers that casted me in the same genre, but I kept rejecting them.

Were you typecast after doing a bold role in Hate Story 2 Hate Story was an erotic thriller, Hate Story 2 was clearly a revenge drama. As an actor, the marketing and promotions of the film were not in my hand. It was the producer and director’s call completely — it is about the money game in the business. I was glad that the film saw a release since it took a year to come out. I was aware that I’d be typecast as a certain actor with this movie. As I could foresee, the expected happen I was offered these so-called bold roles.

Were you happy being in the bold zone I don’t understand the word ‘bold’ these days — it’s used in the industry out of the context. Wearing a bikini is bold, love making scene is bold. Don’t we wear a bikini in the pool Don’t we kiss in real life It’s a part of every film then why to put such films in a bold category. I didn’t really find Hate Story 2 bold. In every actor’s career, such things happen. One can’t put someone in the box.

Do you believe Hate Story 2 changed the flow of your career I don’t think that, because I believe that everything contributes to your career. However, I never knew that hosting Comedy Circus would land me into Punjabi cinema, followed by Hindi films. I don’t feel anything can really be a turning point. One thing leads to another; it’s like a journey. If I had to call something as a turning point, it has to be Parched. Somewhere down the line, every actor wants to be taken seriously, and at times, it takes a few films to people to believe that.

So, you feel Parched has done that for you I don’t think people should take me to be an art house artiste. It really doesn’t matter what films I do. I think I’m basically a commercial star. What favours me is my versatility. I would love to amalgamate all kinds of films. It is very important to have a commercial success and I’m blatantly open about it.

What is your take on paparazzi Media glares are a part and parcel of showbiz — it has been so for a long time. However, I won’t say actors are clean. Some of them want the media to portray them in a certain way and at times it happens by fluke. Media is just doing its job. I don’t care what media writes about me. Except for my personal life, I guess media can report on my work front. Actors and media go hand in hand.

Do you enjoy television apart from films 24 is a clear exception in my career for various reasons. Though I don’t enjoy doing television because of its content; my love will always be films. If ever TV gives an opportunity to do something as good as 24 did, I will do.