'I don't like being identified as Bollywood actress'

You seem to be really busy

Yes, I am but I am enjoying this busy schedule. I have been constantly travelling for a while now and have hardly managed to relax. There are quite a few films up for release and then I am busy travelling with Atul Kumar’s black comedy, Trivial Disasters. The response has been great and I am really happy.

You haven’t done plays in a long time and you have announced your comeback to stage with Trivial Disasters.

I have never chased things. I have always loved the stage and that’s one of the reasons I decided to do this play. I liked the idea the moment Atul offered me the play. I am really enjoying working with some of the best sctors such as Kalki Koechlin, Cyrus Sahukar and Purab Kohli.

How was it working with Kalki?

She is a brilliant performer and we have become great friends. In fact, that’s the best part of plays. You continuously rehearse with a set of actors and then you travel with them and spend a lot of time together. That really helps you understand each other and that how people become friends. We all are a bunch of great friends.

So, you are really busy travelling across the length and breadth of the country.

I really like this play but unfortunately I won’t be able to do any more plays anytime soon as my dates are blocked till May 2015. There are quite a few big Bollywood films that are up for release and I am also busy shooting for a few of them.

Tamanchey got long delayed but it’s finally releasing.

Yes, that was unfortunate but I am happy that it is finally releasing. It has a gripping storyline and it was one of my very first Bollywood assignments. I was still raw and I hope the audience will like me in the film.

If the film’s publicity stills are to be believed you have done quite a few bold scenes.

(Laughs) But the film’s nothing like it. It’s just one of the scenes and as you said, it is being used for publicity. It’s a film that one needs to see because it has a very powerful story line revolving around the underbelly.

You have quite a few big and unconventional projects on hand.

I have always liked to try out the unconventional like many other actresses of today. I feel this is a great time to experiment as filmmakers are coming up with innovative ideas and unconventional stories. I am busy shooting for Aur Devdas, which is being shot in Lucknow and I am continuously travelling. It’s again a very intense role, as I will be seen as Paro. I am really upbeat about Main Aur Charles, which has Randeep Hooda in the lead. It’s high on drama and the thrill quotient. There are two more films, Jiah aur Jiah and Ishqeria which I am shooting for. Jiah aur Jiah is almost complete and will release early next year.

So, how has been your Bollywood journey so far?

I don’t like being identified as a Bollywood actress. I would prefer and love being known as an actress of Indian films. That should be the identity of all the actors working in Indian film industry. The journey so far has been great and I am enjoying it thoroughly. It is a shade difficult surviving in Mumbai but I am happy that I have managed to survive here. It’s probably because I am not obsessed with Bollyood. I have been lucky to start my career working with some of the best filmmakers such as Dibakar Banerjee and Anurag Kashyap. They have been very kind to me and have shown faith in me and given me a chance to perform. I love acting and choose role that I love to. I do a lot more things and I am passionate about so many other things that keep me occupied.

You take avid interest in photography and writing also.

Yes, I enjoy writing my blog. Unfortunately, I don’t get much time to write but whenever I write I write it with passion. I would love to devote more time to writing my blog and write at more frequent intervals. It’s the place where I can unhesitatingly open my heart out. I love photography and I am taking it seriously. Maybe, I will take it up more seriously in the future to do something around it.

So are you happy with the way your career has shaped up?

I am more than happy for what I am doing and what has happened to me. I am doing things that I have always wanted to. I don’t want to rush at things and I will never do a large number of Bollywood films. I will do role that I will feel I can do justice to. I am a greedy actor but not a greedy person.